‘Hit Right Above Cockpit’: Passenger Plane ‘Struck By Drone’ While Landing At New York's JFK Airport

A JetBlue Airways passenger aircraft reported colliding with a drone while approaching New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday morning, prompting an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The pilot of JetBlue Flight 948 reported the suspected drone strike at an altitude of about 3,000 feet while on final approach to the runway at around 7:15 a.m. local time. The Airbus A321 was arriving from Las Vegas.

In air traffic control audio recorded by ATC.com, the pilot told the control tower, “We are clear to land, 13 left. Just quickly, I couldn’t talk to approach, but we collided with a drone back there in the turn.”

Also Read: Pilot Confirmed Dead After Small Plane Crashes Into Beijing’s Tallest Skyscraper, 13

Injured

When the air traffic controller asked, “You said you collided?”, the pilot replied, “Yep, it hit us right, right above the cockpit.”

The Airbus A321, which can accommodate up to 220 passengers, landed safely at 7:21 am local time without requiring any additional assistance.

In a statement, JetBlue said passengers disembarked normally after landing and that an inspection of the aircraft found no signs of a collision.

“Customers deplaned normally, and the plane was removed from service for a post-flight inspection, which found no damage or evidence of a collision,” the airline said.

“Safety is JetBlue’s first priority, and we will assist with any relevant investigations,” it added.

The FAA said it is investigating the incident.

If confirmed, the incident could be among the first known collisions between a drone and a US commercial passenger aircraft.