JetBlue pilot reports drone strike near JFK

A JetBlue Airways pilot reported hitting a drone just above the cockpit while landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday morning, prompting a Federal Aviation Administration investigation after the flight arrived safely.

The plane was traveling from Las Vegas to New York when the crew reported the drone encounter on final approach, JetBlue said. The aircraft landed without incident, passengers got off normally and the plane was taken out of service for inspection.

JetBlue said the inspection found “no damage or evidence of a collision.”

“Safety is JetBlue’s first priority, and we will assist with any relevant investigations,” the airline said.

The FAA said the pilot reported striking a drone at nearly 3,000 feet, or about 900 meters, around 7:15 a.m. EDT. The agency said the reported collision happened while the aircraft was on final approach to JFK.

Air traffic control audio captured the pilot reporting the incident shortly after the flight was cleared to land.

“We are clear to land, 13 left,” the pilot said, according to audio cited by the BBC. “Just quickly, I couldn’t talk to approach, but we collided with a drone back there in the turn.”

“You said you collided?” the controller asked.

“Yep, it hit us right, right above the cockpit,” the pilot responded.

NBC News reported that the pilot said the incident occurred about two miles before the aircraft was cleared to land.

The FAA said it will investigate the reported collision. The agency reviews incidents involving unauthorized drone sightings and says drone operators who violate airspace rules can face penalties, including fines and criminal charges. The BBC reported that the FAA warns unauthorized operators may face “stiff fines and criminal charges, including possible jail time.”

Under general FAA rules cited by NBC News, drones may be flown legally below 400 feet, but operators must follow specific restrictions around airports and avoid protected airspace.

The reported JetBlue strike follows other recent concerns about drones near commercial aircraft. The BBC reported that, just days earlier, a United Airlines pilot reported nearly colliding with a drone while approaching Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.

The FAA estimates it receives more than 100 reports of drone sightings near airports every month, according to the BBC, despite regulations barring unauthorized drone operations in those areas.