Washington, DC —
A JetBlue Airways passenger plane reported a collision with a drone Monday while preparing to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The pilot aboard JetBlue Flight 948 reported the impact at approximately 3,000 feet during approach to the runway around 7:15 a.m. local time Monday, the FAA said in a statement to CNN.
“We are cleared to land, 13 to go,” the pilot told the tower in audio recorded by ATC.com. “Just quickly, I couldn’t speak to get closer, but we ran into a drone there at the bend.”
— You said you collided? – asked the dispatcher.
The pilot confirmed: “Yes, it hit us, right above the cockpit.”
The Airbus A321 flew in from Las Vegas and landed safely a few minutes later at 7:21 am.
At the time of the alleged impact, the plane was north of the beach community of Sea Bright, about 10 to 12 miles from Kennedy Airport. According to Flightradar24.
In a statement, JetBlue confirmed that the flight landed without further incident.
“Customers disembarked normally and the aircraft was taken out of service for post-flight inspection, which found no damage or evidence of a collision,” the airline said. “Safety is JetBlue’s top priority and we will assist with any relevant investigations.”
The FAA is investigating the incident.
If confirmed, this could be one of the first known collisions between a drone and a US commercial passenger aircraft.
However, drones have also shot down other aircraft. In January 2025, a civilian drone crashed into a CL-415 “Super Scooper” plane that was fighting wildfires in Los Angeles, ripping a hole in the wing, forcing the plane out of service and prompting federal authorities to prosecute the drone operator.
Some other suspected strikes appeared to be caused by bird damage or mechanical problems.
Drones are prohibited from flying around airports, but the FAA receives about 100 reported sightings a month.
Last week, a United Airlines pilot said he nearly collided with one as his plane came in to land at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Drone flights are also often limited to emergency response operations, prisons, wildfires and large gatherings, including the current World Cup games.
Unauthorized operators face significant fines and criminal charges, including possible prison time, the FAA says.