Helicopter reports drone near JFK hours after JetBlue incident
A helicopter pilot reported a possible drone encounter near John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday afternoon, marking the second such incident at the airport in a single day, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA said the helicopter pilot observed a remote-control airplane flying close to their aircraft. The sighting came hours after a JetBlue pilot reported a possible drone strike while approaching JFK for landing, ATIS.guru reported.
JFK air traffic control issued a warning to nearby pilots about an unauthorized unmanned aircraft system operating within protected airspace. The warning indicated a red and white remote-controlled airplane was seen flying at approximately 4:05 p.m. local time at an altitude of 500 feet, about 1 mile from the Canarsie navigation beacon, a key waypoint for incoming aircraft.
It is unclear whether the two incidents are connected. The FAA notified local authorities about the drone sighting. Flying a drone or remote-controlled aircraft near a major airport is illegal and poses serious safety risks, the agency said.
Earlier Monday morning, a JetBlue flight struck a drone at roughly 3,000 feet about 10 miles from JFK, FAA officials said. Air traffic audio indicated the encounter happened above the cockpit. The aircraft landed safely, and a post-flight inspection found no damage, JetBlue reported.
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