JetBlue Flight Reports Engine Failure, Returns to Airport

A ground stop was issued for Newark, New Jersey, and later lifted.

Zach Vasile

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 07:52 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A JetBlue Airbus A321. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Key Takeaways:

A JetBlue flight departing Newark for West Palm Beach experienced engine failure and was forced to return to the airport.
Upon safe landing, crew reported smoke in the cockpit, and passengers were evacuated via inflatable slides with no reported injuries.
The incident temporarily stopped flights at Newark Airport, but operations resumed within hours.

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A JetBlue flight departing Newark, New Jersey, was forced to turn around and return to the airport Wednesday evening after experiencing engine failure.

Local media reported that the flight took off around 5:45 p.m. bound for West Palm Beach, Florida, and returned safely with no injuries.

According to the FAA, once the airplane landed, crew reported smoke in the cockpit and evacuated passengers using inflatable slides.

Flights at Newark were temporarily stopped due to the incident, but the airport had reopened as of 7:10 p.m., according to CBS News.

Zach Vasile

Zach Vasile is a writer and editor covering news in all aspects of commercial aviation. He has reported for and contributed to the Manchester Journal Inquirer, the Hartford Business Journal, the Charlotte Observer, and the Washington Examiner, with his area of focus being the intersection of business and government policy.