On November 6, 2023, a JetBlue Airbus A321 registered as N947JB was involved in an incident at San Francisco International Airport. The aircraft collided with a pushback vehicle during the pushback procedure, causing damage to its left engine.
2015 built JetBlue Airways Airbus A321 aircraft (N947JB) received damages to its No.1 engine due to a ground incident involving Tug master at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) November 7, 2023
📹ZeroKnowledgeSnarkA#aircraft #airport #aviation #safety pic.twitter.com/QPYX8w8oJn
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The incident occurred just after 4 p.m., shortly after the aircraft had pushed back from the gate. The pushback vehicle got stuck underneath the left engine of the aircraft. The Airbus A321 was scheduled to operate flight B6534 from San Francisco to Boston.
Following the incident, the aircraft taxied back to the gate, and all passengers were safely deplaned. JetBlue offered alternate flight options to the passengers. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. JetBlue released a statement on the evening of the incident, emphasizing that safety is their first priority. The airline is currently reviewing the incident, and the damaged aircraft has been taken out of service for inspection.
The incident led to a significant delay for the flight. A replacement aircraft, an Airbus A320 registered as N638JB, was used to operate the flight, which arrived at Boston Airport with a delay of ten hours. This incident underscores the importance of safety procedures and checks in aviation, even during seemingly routine operations such as pushback. It serves as a reminder of the potential risks involved in ground operations at airports and the need for constant vigilance to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
