JetBlue Flight 543 Makes Emergency Landing at Newark After Engine Failure and Cabin Smoke

In a frightening incident that briefly shut down Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on Wednesday evening, JetBlue Flight 543 was forced to make an emergency return shortly after takeoff following an engine failure that filled the cabin with smoke. All passengers were evacuated safely via emergency slides, and no serious injuries were reported though one passenger was taken to hospital complaining of chest pains.

What Happened

JetBlue Flight 543 departed Newark Liberty International Airport at approximately 5:43 PM ET on Wednesday, February 18, bound for West Palm Beach (PBI). Within 17 minutes of takeoff, the crew of the Airbus A320 declared an emergency and turned the aircraft around, citing an engine problem.

Passengers described a frightening sequence of events. According to one traveler interviewed by ABC7 New York, the pilot’s announcement was calm but direct.

Several passengers reported hearing a loud bang and seeing a flash near the wing, initially suspecting a lightning strike. The aircraft landed safely back at Newark around 5:55 PM ET. After the plane cleared the runway, however, smoke became visible in the cockpit and cabin, prompting the crew to initiate a full emergency evacuation.

Evacuation Via Emergency Slides

All passengers and crew evacuated via the aircraft’s emergency slides, a standard protocol when an aircraft cannot taxi to a gate safely. Audio captured by LiveATC.net reveals the pilots speaking with air traffic controllers just before calling the evacuation:

“We’re just going to exit the runway and have fire/rescue make sure the engine, number one engine, is OK.” JetBlue 543 flight crew, via LiveATC.net (reported by CNN)

Minutes later, with smoke present in the cabin, the decision was made to evacuate. Emergency responders were on scene, surrounding the aircraft on the taxiway. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey confirmed that the plane landed safely and that there were no injuries to report at that time, though CBS News later reported one passenger was transported to a hospital with chest pains.

Airport Ground Stop and Cascading Delays

At 6:35 PM ET, Newark Airport’s official X account posted: “Flight operations at Newark Liberty are temporarily suspended while an aircraft is removed from the taxiway due to an earlier incident.” The ground stop lasted roughly 25 minutes, with flight operations resuming at approximately 7:00 PM ET, according to the Port Authority.

The ripple effects were significant. Even after reopening, average flight delays at Newark climbed to around 90 minutes, down from a peak of two hours during the suspension, according to Newsweek. Newark is already one of the more delay prone major U.S. airports, and an incident of this nature at peak evening departure time compounded an already congested traffic flow. Travelers were advised to check with their airlines for up to date flight information.

JetBlue and FAA Statements

JetBlue confirmed the incident in a formal statement, citing both an engine issue and smoke in the cabin:

“On Wednesday, February 18, JetBlue flight 543 from Newark (EWR) to West Palm Beach (PBI) returned to Newark shortly after takeoff following a reported engine issue and smoke in the cabin. The aircraft landed safely, and customers and crewmembers evacuated using the aircraft’s slides. Safety is JetBlue’s top priority. We are focused on supporting our customers and crewmembers and will work closely with the appropriate federal authorities to investigate what occurred.” JetBlue Airways statement

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued its own statement confirming the evacuation and announcing an investigation:

“After JetBlue Flight 543 landed safely at Newark Liberty International Airport and exited the runway, the crew of the Airbus A320 reported smoke in the cockpit and evacuated passengers via slides. The FAA has temporarily paused some arrivals to the airport and will investigate the incident that occurred around 5:55 p.m. local time.” Federal Aviation Administration

The Aircraft: Airbus A320

JetBlue operates a large fleet of Airbus A320-family aircraft, which are the workhorse of the airline’s short to medium haul network. The A320 is powered by either CFM International CFM56 or IAE V2500 engines. While the A320 has an excellent overall safety record, engine related incidents though rare do occur, and pilots are rigorously trained to handle exactly this kind of return to origin scenario.

JetBlue has been navigating a challenging period operationally. The carrier has faced scrutiny over reliability and finances following its failed attempt to acquire Spirit Airlines and ongoing cost cutting measures. An incident of this visibility, however, underscores that its crews are executing safety procedures by the book.

What Travelers Should Know

If you’re flying through Newark in the near term, here are a few practical takeaways from this incident. First, smoke in the cabin is taken extremely seriously by flight crews and the FAA evacuation decisions are made quickly precisely because the risks escalate fast. Second, emergency evacuations via slides, while chaotic, are designed to be completed in under 90 seconds; the crew performed exactly as trained here. Third, if you’re connecting through EWR or have a JetBlue booking on similar routes, it’s worth checking FlightAware or FlightRadar24 for any downstream impact on your specific flight, as incidents like this can create crew and aircraft positioning disruptions that last well into the next day.

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