JetBlue Airways Flight 948 landed safely at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday after the pilot reported a suspected drone attack while flying into the airport. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident.
The flight was operated by an Airbus A321-231 from Las Vegas to New York. The crew reported that a drone struck the aircraft at approximately 3,000 feet during its final approach.
According to air traffic control communications, the incident occurred at approximately 7:15 a.m. local time. Minutes later, JetBlue Flight 948 landed safely at 7:21 am.
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What happened to JetBlue Flight 948?
According to Flightradar24, the plane was about 10 to 12 miles from JFK Airport and just north of the seaside hamlet of Sea Bright at the time of the suspected collision. The crew immediately notified air traffic controllers of the suspected attack, but confirmed the aircraft was still fully controllable.
In the audio captured by ATC.com, the pilot informed the tower: “We can land, 13 to go.” The pilot continued: “Quickly, I can’t speak approaching, but we were turning and collided with a drone behind us.”
According to the pilot’s report, the drone struck the Airbus aircraft above the cockpit as it was descending toward JFK Airport.
The controller replied: “You said you collided?”
“Yes, it hit us, right above the cockpit,” the pilot confirmed.
The aircraft completed its approach and landed successfully.
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The flight was not damaged
After landing, maintenance personnel conducted a detailed inspection of the aircraft. The FAA said inspectors found no obvious damage to the Airbus plane during post-flight inspections.
“Post-flight inspection did not reveal any damage to the aircraft. The FAA will investigate,” the FAA said in a statement.
The FAA says operating drones at airports or near other aircraft is dangerous and prohibited. Drone operators who violate the law risk heavy fines or even jail time. the institution’s website Contains more details on drone operating rules.
JetBlue Airways also confirmed the incident, stressing that there were no casualties.
“The crew of JetBlue Flight 948 from Las Vegas (LAS) to New York (JFK) reported a possible drone encounter during the aircraft’s final approach to New York. The flight landed safely, passengers disembarked normally, and the aircraft was removed from service for a post-flight inspection, which found no evidence of damage or collision,” the airline wrote in a statement.
