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JetBlue plane reportedly hits drone near JFK
Pilot said object struck above cockpit; FAA says aircraft showed no damage after flight
Key Takeaways:
- A JetBlue pilot reported his aircraft struck a drone at about 3,000 feet while landing at New York’s JFK Airport around 7:15 a.m., with no damage found.
- The incident follows another report three days earlier of a United flight crew spotting a drone near Newark, highlighting growing concerns about unauthorized drones near busy airports.
- The FAA said no damage was detected and is monitoring such events as authorities also investigate drone activity near major U.S. venues, including sports sites.
A JetBlue Airways Corp. pilot reported that his plane hit a drone while landing at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on June 29, an incident that came a few days after the crew of a separate flight said it spotted a drone on approach to a nearby airport.
“We collided with a drone back there in the turn,” the pilot told an air traffic controller, according to audio of the exchange. “It hit us right above the cockpit.” The incident occurred at around 3,000 feet, the pilot said.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the event reportedly happened at about 7:15 a.m. local time. “A post-flight inspection did not reveal any damage to the aircraft,” the regulator said.
Three days prior, the crew of a United Airlines Holdings Inc. flight reported seeing a drone while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport, which also serves the New York metropolitan area. That incident happened at around 5:20 p.m. local time June 26.
The JetBlue pilot told air traffic control that he didn’t need any assistance as he continued to the runway.
The events come as authorities have seized hundreds of drones near venues across the U.S. hosting World Cup games. Some matches are being played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. It’s unclear if these recent incidents are related.
The Federal Aviation Administration in April said it was probing operators who allegedly flew their drones too close to Coors Field in Denver during games for Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies.
