A peculiar scene unfolded on Sunday night at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport when a JetBlue aircraft tilted backward with its nose ascending towards the sky post-landing.
The incident, involving Flight 662 from Bridgetown, Barbados, captured the attention of onlookers, sparking a flurry of social media posts capturing the aircraft’s awkward angle, approximately 30 degrees from the horizontal, at the passenger gate.
2015 built Jetblue Airbus A321-231 aircraft (N959JB) tipped on its tail while parked at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on 22 October. The aircraft had arrived from Bridgetown (BGI) via flight B6662.
Last flight : https://t.co/3ID8MnZaPO#aircraft #airport #aviation pic.twitter.com/PlLZLlkgK6— FL360aero (@fl360aero) October 23, 2023
Weight and balance: The reason behind the tilt
JetBlue authorities attributed this unusual posture to a shift in weight and balance during the passengers’ deplaning process.
The adjustment in weight distribution caused the aircraft to rock back, momentarily defying the standard stability expected of such massive vessels post-landing.
Despite the odd appearance and likely discomfort experienced onboard, the event did not result in any reported injuries.
The aftermath: Inspection and precaution
Following the spectacle, the aircraft was removed from its service to undergo an inspection.
