A JetBlue plane collided with a drone while landing at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Monday. The aircraft was some 3,000 feet above the ground when the pilots reported that it had struck “right above the cockpit.”

An investigation has been launched, and recordings from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Air Traffic Control (ATC) are now circulating on social media.

CNN reported that the incident could be documented as one of the first known collisions between a drone and a US commercial passenger plane, if confirmed. The audio recorded by ATC.com confirmed that JetBlue Flight 948’s pilot reported the rare mid-air strike at approximately 3,000 feet in altitude, as it was approaching the New York airport’s runway around 7:15 am local time on June 29, 2026.

The Airbus A321 was coming from Las Vegas when the unexpected development transpired.

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ATC audio confirms JetBlue flight’s collision with a drone

“We are clear to land, 13 left,” the JetBlue Airways pilot told the tower, according to ATC.com. “Just quickly, I couldn’t talk to approach, but we collided with a drone back there in the turn.”

In disbelief, the controller asked, “You said you collided?” The pilot replied affirmatively, “Yep, it hit us right, right above the cockpit.”

At the time of the reported collision, the JetBlue plane was just north of the beach community of Sea Bright, roughly 10 to 12 miles away from JFK, according to flight tracking site Flightradar24’s data.

In a similar incident last week, a United Airlines plane is believed to have nearly collided with a drone as it approached Newark Liberty International Airport.

JetBlue issues statement after drone strike

The New York City-headquartered airline has since confirmed that the flight landed without any other incident. The aircraft landed at JFK at 7:21 am, merely minutes after its pilot contacted the tower.

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“Customers deplaned normally, and the plane was removed from service for a post-flight inspection, which found no damage or evidence of a collision,” the airline said. “Safety is JetBlue’s first priority, and we will assist with any relevant investigations.”

Another plane ‘collision’ report surfaced the same day

The plane-drone collision report emerged the same day a helicopter flying from JFK to Manhattan reported a near collision with a model airplane. “Almost ran into a giant RC airplane over at Floyd Bennett,” the pilot of the Bell 407 helicopter told the tower at JFK, according to a recording by ATC.com. “It was just like an RC, one of the remote-controlled airplanes. A big one at 500 feet.”

The official FAA government website determines that the agency receives more than 100 such reports of unmanned aircraft sightings from pilots, citizens and law enforcement monthly.

“The agency wants to send out a clear message that operating drones around airplanes, helicopters and airports is dangerous and illegal,” US authorities stressed. “Unauthorised operators may be subject to stiff fines and criminal charges, including possible jail time.”

A post-flight inspection was conducted but didn’t reveal anything.