JetBlue Flight 543 suffered an engine failure shortly after taking off from Newark Liberty International Airport and returned for an emergency landing.
Passengers and crew evacuated the Airbus A320 via emergency slides on the taxiway; no injuries have been reported.
Newark Liberty Airport temporarily halted operations, causing delays before resuming service once the aircraft was cleared.
A JetBlue Airways flight headed for West Palm Beach was forced to return to Newark Liberty International Airport shortly after takeoff Wednesday evening after suffering an engine failure that led to smoke in the cockpit, prompting an emergency landing and evacuation.
JetBlue Flight 543, operated on an Airbus A320, departed Newark at approximately 5:45 p.m. ET bound for Florida. Within minutes, the pilots reported a problem with one of the aircraft’s engines and smoke in the cockpit, according to statements from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Crew members declared an emergency with air traffic controllers and turned back to Newark, where the aircraft made a safe landing on a taxiway. Passengers and crew were evacuated using the plane’s emergency slides in an orderly process, and no injuries have been reported, the FAA said.
Airport temporarily closed
The incident briefly disrupted operations at the busy Northeast hub. Arrivals and departures were paused while emergency crews responded and the aircraft was removed from service.
According to the FAA and Port Authority, the airport suspended flights for about an hour before reopening, and some flights experienced ensuing delays as traffic normalized.
JetBlue released a statement emphasizing that safety is its top priority and confirmed it is assisting federal authorities with the investigation into the engine issue. The airline also said it is supporting customers and crewmembers affected by the incident.
An investigation is underway
The FAA will review data from the flight and coordinate with the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the root cause of the apparent engine problem and smoke condition in the cockpit. At this point, officials have not offered a timeline for releasing findings.
Travelers were advised to check with their airlines for updated flight information following the disruption, and many passengers on Flight 543 were being rebooked on later services to their Florida destination.
This incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of airline operations and mechanical reliability, though officials noted that emergency response protocols worked as intended in bringing everyone on board to safety.