An Atlantic Southeast Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 operating on behalf of Delta Connection flew into a flock of cranes while on approach to Little Rock, landing safely with a bird embedded in the severely damaged nose cone of the jet.
Flight 5087 was enroute to Little Rock from Atlanta carrying 49 passengers when it experienced the bird strike at around 3,700 feet and 15nm from Little Rock National Airport.
After ascending back to 4,000 feet and performing a flyover of the airport, the plane circled around landed safely about 11 minutes later.