A Northwest Airlines flight from Chattanooga to Memphis temporarily was grounded this morning after the plane struck a flock of mourning doves, airport personnel said.

The plane took off this morning and shortly thereafter hit about 10 birds, at which time it returned to the airport, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport spokeswoman Christina Siebold said.

The crew and maintenance team inspected the plane, and it took off about 9:52 a.m., she said. She was unsure of the original departure time.

In data released in April by the Federal Aviation Administration, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport registered the biggest increase in wildlife strikes nationally since 2000. The airport went from four reported incidents in 2000 to 55 in 2008, or up 1,275 percent, the FAA information showed.

For complete details, see tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press.