On a recent Tuesday evening, a JetBlue Airbus A320 encountered a concerning situation, prompting an emergency return to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York. The aircraft, operating a routine flight from JFK to West Palm Beach, was forced to turn back shortly after takeoff due to the detection of Foreign Object Debris (FOD).
According to data from Flightradar24, the aircraft, an Airbus A320-200 with registration N507JT, had taken off from runway 13R. At an altitude of 5,000 feet, air traffic control alerted the pilots to visible debris coming off the plane. The crew swiftly made the decision to return and safely landed the aircraft on runway 22L approximately 30 minutes later.
Following the incident, another JetBlue Airbus was instructed to inspect the runway for any signs of metal debris. Initially, no debris was spotted, but the crew later reported seeing two metal pieces near the runway’s edge lights. A subsequent thorough inspection of the runway area between taxiways L and M led to the discovery of three medium-sized metal fragments, confirming the seriousness of the situation.
The plane involved in this incident, over 24 years old and delivered to JetBlue in June 2000, features 162 seats and is powered by V2500 engines from International Aero Engines. It had previously served with Germany’s Blue Wings from 2006 to 2010 before rejoining JetBlue.
In response to the incident, JetBlue arranged for another A320, registration N636JB, to complete the disrupted journey to West Palm Beach, which landed approximately three hours behind schedule. Currently, the affected aircraft is listed as “stored” on Planespotters.net.
Foreign Object Debris (FOD) is a well-known hazard in aviation, capable of causing significant damage and even catastrophic incidents. The notorious Air France Concorde disaster, which was triggered by debris on the runway, serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of FOD.
This incident involving the JetBlue Airbus highlights the ongoing challenges and the imperative of stringent FOD management protocols to safeguard flight operations. It underscores the importance of maintaining vigilant awareness and implementing effective measures to minimize the risk of FOD-related incidents.
