The JetBlue pilot told air traffic control that he did not require any assistance as he continued on the runway. (Angus Mordant/Bloomberg)
key takeaways:
- A JetBlue pilot said his plane collided with a drone at about 3,000 feet while landing at New York’s JFK Airport at about 7:15 a.m., with no injuries.
- The incident follows another report of a drone sighting near Newark by a United flight crew three days earlier, highlighting growing concerns about unauthorized drones near busy airports.
- The FAA said there was no damage and it was keeping an eye on such incidents as officials also investigate drone activity near major US venues, including sports venues.
A JetBlue Airways Corp pilot reported that his plane collided with a drone while landing at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on June 29, an incident that came days after the crew of a different flight said they had seen a drone near a nearby airport.
“We hit a drone on the turn there,” the pilot told an air traffic controller, according to audio of the exchange. “It hit us right above the cockpit.” The pilot said the incident occurred at an altitude of about 3,000 feet.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the incident reportedly occurred around 7:15 a.m. local time. “Post-flight inspection revealed no damage to the aircraft,” the regulator said.
Three days ago, United Airlines Holdings Inc. The crew of a U.S. flight reported seeing a drone while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport, which also serves the New York metropolitan area. The incident occurred on June 26 at around 5:20 pm local time.
The JetBlue pilot told air traffic control that he did not require any assistance as he continued on the runway.
The incidents come as authorities have seized hundreds of drones near venues hosting World Cup games across the US. Some matches are being played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. It is unclear whether these recent incidents are related.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in April it was investigating operators who allegedly flew their drones too close to Coors Field in Denver during games by Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies.
