UNIPA News | Aviation Incident Report
Operations were briefly suspended at Newark Liberty International Airport on Feb. 19 after a JetBlue Airways Airbus A320 was forced to make an emergency landing following an engine-related problem that led to smoke inside the cabin.
According to airline officials, Flight 543 departed for West Palm Beach shortly after 5:30 p.m. EST but returned to Newark roughly 17 minutes later when the crew detected an engine issue and smoke was reported onboard. The aircraft landed safely, and passengers were evacuated using emergency slides. No injuries were reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration immediately issued a ground stop, temporarily halting inbound flights to the airport for more than an hour. Normal arrivals resumed around 7 p.m. EST. The agency confirmed that a formal investigation has been launched into the incident.
Initial cockpit audio indicated the flight crew requested airport fire and rescue services upon landing to inspect the number one engine, while also noting that smoke appeared to be coming from the rear section of the aircraft. This detail differs from an early report mentioning smoke in the cockpit, and the exact sequence of events remains under review.
In a statement to UNIPA News, JetBlue said passenger and crew safety remains its highest priority and that the airline is cooperating fully with federal authorities to determine the cause of the malfunction.
UNIPA News will continue to monitor developments as investigators examine technical data and crew reports related to the emergency landing.
