A JetBlue pilot reported striking a drone at 3,000 feet while on final approach to John F. Kennedy International Airport on June 29, 2026, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to open an investigation.
Flight 948, arriving from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, landed safely at JFK at around 7:15 a.m. EDT after the pilot radioed air traffic control about an object striking the aircraft near the top of the cockpit. Post-flight inspections by JetBlue and the FAA found no damage or physical evidence of a collision.
The FAA said it will investigate the incident further and has not confirmed what, if anything, the aircraft encountered during its descent. A source familiar with the preliminary findings told CNN that the investigation so far found no indication that the flight actually collided with a drone. The report adds to a broader pattern of drone sightings that have periodically disrupted operations at major U.S. airports in recent years.
Pilot Reports Impact During Final Approach
The incident occurred as Flight 948 descended through 3,000 feet on its approach to JFK, one of the busiest airports in the New York metropolitan area. The pilot reported the strike to air traffic control during the descent, describing an impact near the top of the cockpit. The aircraft continued its approach without further incident and landed safely, and no passengers or crew were reported injured.
JetBlue and the FAA conducted a joint post-flight inspection of the aircraft after it reached the gate. Neither the airline nor the agency identified damage or debris consistent with a drone strike during that inspection. JetBlue has not issued additional public comment beyond confirming the pilot’s report and the subsequent inspection.
No Damage Confirmed, FAA Investigation Continues
According to CNN, a source familiar with the preliminary investigative findings said there is no sign the JetBlue aircraft actually struck a drone, despite the pilot’s report. The FAA has not said publicly what, if anything, the aircraft may have encountered during its final approach. The agency’s investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
Drone sightings near major airports have periodically prompted operational disruptions and heightened scrutiny from aviation regulators in the United States in recent years.
