Newark Airport Operations Back to Normal After JetBlue Flight Returns With Engine Issue

Flights at Newark Liberty International Airport resumed Wednesday evening, according to airport and federal officials. An engine failure forced a JetBlue airliner to return shortly after takeoff.

The issue forced Newark Liberty International Airport to close for an hour while workers cleared the runway. Authorities said that all passengers and team members were safe.

The JetBlue plane left for West Palm Beach at 5:43 p.m. As a precaution, the crew returned to the airport after seeing an engine issue. Officials later diagnosed an engine failure.

The plane landed safely at Newark without incident. The flight crew reported cockpit smoke after takeoff. Emergency slides were deployed to evacuate the plane. Emergency reaction teams prepared for landing and evacuation.

While the jet was removed from the taxiway and safety inspections were done, the FAA said flights will resume at 7 p.m. There were brief issues with departing and arriving flights.

After the plane was cleared and the runway closed down, airport officials claimed things slowly returned to normal. People were advised to contact their airline for the latest departure and arrival times.

The government has rigorous guidelines for handling precautionary returns immediately after takeoff. Pilots are taught to prioritize passenger safety and return to the nearest airport for technical issues. Aviation experts say modern commercial jets have backup systems to help crews solve problems fast.

No other accidents or ground damage were reported from this occurrence. Officials have not disclosed the engine problem’s cause, and federal flight safety procedures will be followed.

Airport operations continued into the evening without issues after an hour-long adjustment.

Sources:
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Federal Aviation Administration
JetBlue Airways Official Statement