FAA investigates incident involving JetBlue flight near Fort Lauderdale

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating an incident involving a JetBlue aircraft and a smaller plane near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on 1 June.

JetBlue flight B6 1256 (Airbus A321neo registered N2086J), arriving from Guayaquil, was approaching the airport when its crew reported that a nearby light aircraft appeared to be turning toward their flight path. Air traffic control recordings indicate the two aircraft were separated by approximately one mile horizontally and a few hundred feet vertically.

Despite the concern, the FAA said the required separation standards were maintained throughout the event and the JetBlue flight landed safely. Air traffic controllers subsequently warned another arriving JetBlue aircraft about the same light plane, which was reportedly not in communication with air traffic control.

In recordings of the incident, a controller described the unidentified pilot as “insane” and referred to him as “Mad Max” after observing the aircraft’s manoeuvres.

The FAA has not identified the aircraft involved or disclosed its origin, but confirmed an investigation is underway. The incident occurred in the busy airspace around Fort Lauderdale, one of the busiest airports in the United States.

The event is the latest in a series of recent aviation safety incidents under review by the FAA, including reports of a possible drone strike near San Diego and several runway and airspace conflicts at major U.S. airports.

Source: CBS