A JetBlue Airways flight reported striking a drone Monday morning while preparing to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, according to federal officials.
The flight had departed from Las Vegas and was approaching JFK around 7:15 a.m. when the aircraft collided with the drone at roughly 3,000 feet, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
Air traffic control audio obtained by WABC captured the pilot calmly reporting the incident.
‘We collided with a drone back there in the turn as we were coming to ASALT, just wanted to pass to you,’ the pilot said in air traffic controller audio obtained by WABC.
The drone reportedly struck the aircraft near the cockpit, but the pilot said the crew did not need assistance and could continue with the landing.
The plane landed normally, and passengers deplaned safely.
A post-flight inspection did not find any damage to the aircraft, the FAA said.
The agency said it will investigate the incident.
A JetBlue spokesperson told the Daily Mail the flight landed without incident and the aircraft was removed from service for inspection.
‘The flight landed without incident, 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 spokesperson said.
This morning, JetBlue Airbus A321-231 (N979JT) operating flight B6948 from Las Vegas to New York JFK reported a drone strike while on approach to JFK.
According to the crew, the drone struck the aircraft just above the cockpit at approximately 3,000 feet around 7:15 a.m. The… pic.twitter.com/VJNVOoBrW5
— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) June 29, 2026
‘Safety is JetBlue’s first priority, and we will assist with any relevant investigations.’
The scare comes less than a week after a United Airlines flight nearly collided with a drone while descending into Newark Liberty International Airport.
In that case, the drone reportedly came within about 100 feet of the plane as it approached the busy New Jersey airport.
The FAA has repeatedly warned that unauthorized drone flights near airports pose serious risks to passenger aircraft.
The agency receives more than 100 drone sighting reports near airports every month, and operators who violate airspace rules can face fines and criminal charges.
The JetBlue incident adds to growing concerns about drones flying too close to major airports, especially in crowded airspace around New York City.
For passengers aboard Monday’s flight, the landing ended safely.
For federal investigators, the question now is who was operating the drone and why it was flying near one of the nation’s busiest airports.
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