JetBlue Airbus A220-300 Triggers Ground Stop After Veering Off Runway In Boston

[kevinUsa]

An Airbus A220-300 operated by JetBlue Airways rolled off a runway at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) on Thursday. The incident prompted airport officials to close the runway, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop.

 

 

JetBlue

IATA/ICAO Code

B6/JBA

Hub(s)

Boston Logan International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, New York JFK Airport, Orlando International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

 

The move resulted in all inbound flights being instructed to remain at their origin until 14:00 EST, according to FlightAware. Outbound departure delays amounted to as much as 45 minutes.

Flight Details

 

Photo: Mark Bess | Wikimedia Commons

According to CNN, the plane was operating as JetBlue flight 312. Data from Flightradar24 JBU312 pushed back from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) from gate G2 on time at 08:41 CST. It taxied to runway 9R, where it took off at 09:04. Shortly after departure, the aircraft turned slightly left to assume its flight path over Lake Michigan. It reached its cruising altitude of 31,000 feet just 24 minutes into the flight.

The aircraft maintained its altitude for nearly an hour as it traveled east. At around 11:22 local time, the plane was flying over eastern New York, just north of Albany. Flight data indicates the crew began the initial descent. The approach path took the aircraft north of BOS before it lined up for final approach to Runway 33 at around 11:43. Six minutes later, at 11:49.

A JetBlue spokesperson confirmed the incident to Simple Flying in a statement.

 

On Thursday, June 12, JetBlue flight 312 from Chicago to Boston veered off the runway and onto the grass after landing. No injuries were reported. Customers safely deplaned and were bussed to the terminal. Safety is JetBlue’s top priority. We will conduct a full investigation of the incident and will work closely with the relevant authorities to understand the cause.

 

Stopped In A Grassy Area

 

Photo: WJAR

It is unclear if the weather played a factor in the runway excursion. However, the cause of the mishap is being speculated as "nose wheel steering failure," according to aviation watchdog JonNYC. Video footage from overhead showed the aircraft stationary in a grassy area adjacent to the runway. Emergency vehicles can also be seen attending to the scene as passengers evacuated via an escape slide from the plane's right aft door.

BOS officials had to close the runway to assess the aircraft. It is unclear if any damage was sustained. According to The New York Times, the ground stop was lifted at approximately 13:18 – about an hour and a half after it was issued.

The aircraft, registered as N3242J, is only a five-month-old airframe, according to ch-aviation. It performed its first flight on December 20, 2024 before being delivered to JetBlue on January 17.

 

 

Read More

Why Runway Excursions Happen & How They Can Be Prevented

Runway excursion-related accidents and incidents are more common than we usually think.

 

 

 

 

The Most Common Aviation Accident?