Body of aircraft covered in blood splashes after bird strike

A small plane struck a flock of birds on take off - leaving the body of the aircraft covered in blood splashes.

Mark Schwantes, 48, was on board a bush plane travelling from a remote area in Alaska to Anchorage when the bird strike occurred (Sept 26).

The plane was accelerating to take off when Mark spotted a flock of willow ptarmigan, Alaska's state bird, on the runway.

But instead of flying away, the birds waited too long to take flight and were hit by one of the plane's propellers.