The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating after the crew of a JetBlue flight reported striking what they believed was a drone while approaching New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on June 29.
According to the FAA, the pilot of JetBlue Flight 948, an Airbus A321 arriving from Las Vegas, reported the encounter at approximately 3,000 feet while on final approach at about 7:15 a.m. local time. The aircraft landed safely, and passengers deplaned normally. Reuters first reported the incident, citing statements from both the FAA and JetBlue.
JetBlue said the aircraft was removed from service for a post-flight inspection, which found “no damage or evidence of a collision.” The airline described the event as a possible drone encounter and said it will assist with the FAA’s investigation.
At the time of publication, authorities had not identified a drone operator, recovered any drone, or released evidence confirming that a drone struck the aircraft.
The reported incident came just days after a United Airlines crew reported seeing a drone approximately 100 feet below their aircraft while descending into Newark Liberty International Airport, highlighting continued concerns about unauthorized drone activity near major airports.
The FAA continues to remind operators that unauthorized drone flights near airports are illegal and dangerous. The agency says it receives more than 100 reports of drone sightings near airports each month. If a drone was operating at the reported altitude of 3,000 feet, it would have been well above the altitude permitted for most civil drone operations without specific FAA authorization.
While the investigation is ongoing, the incident also underscores a continuing challenge for aviation safety. Even when pilots report encounters with unidentified airborne objects, confirming exactly what was struck and identifying the source can be difficult without physical evidence or comprehensive airspace awareness systems.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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