On February 18, 2026, JetBlue Flight 543, an Airbus A320 bound for West Palm Beach, Florida, suffered an engine failure shortly after takeoff from Newark Liberty International Airport at approximately 5:45 p.m. Eastern Time. The aircraft returned to the departure gate with 122 passengers on board, one of whom was taken to a local hospital for chest pains.
The emergency return triggered a temporary ground stop at Newark, causing delays for other flights scheduled to depart or arrive in the following hours. Air traffic control temporarily halted traffic in the airport’s departure and arrival corridors while the incident was assessed and the aircraft was cleared for a safe landing.
The Federal Aviation Administration and JetBlue’s safety team are conducting a joint investigation into the failure. JetBlue issued a statement emphasizing that safety remains its top priority and that the company is working closely with federal authorities to determine the cause of the incident.
While the incident is unrelated to JetBlue’s recent earnings report, it underscores the airline’s ongoing focus on operational reliability and passenger safety as part of its broader JetForward strategy. The investigation will assess whether maintenance practices or other factors contributed to the failure, and the findings will inform future safety protocols.
JetBlue’s statement reiterated its commitment to supporting passengers and crew affected by the event and to maintaining the highest safety standards across its fleet. The investigation is ongoing, and further details will be released as they become available.
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