Newark Liberty International Airport temporarily halted operations Wednesday evening after an “aircraft emergency” involving a JetBlue flight forced the evacuation of passengers and prompted a ground stop, according to federal officials and the airline, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
The disruption began late Wednesday afternoon when a JetBlue flight bound for West Palm Beach, Florida, experienced an engine issue shortly after takeoff from Newark.
Newark Airport was closed for about an hour on Wednesday night after a JetBlue plane reported an engine issue and smoke in the cabin. https://t.co/JxmzcN7xiv [2]
— Newsradio WTAM 1100 (@wtam1100) February 19, 2026 [3]
The aircraft turned around and returned to the airport approximately 40 minutes into the flight, according to flight tracking data from FlightAware.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed in a preliminary statement that JetBlue Flight 543 “landed safely” after crews “reported smoke in the cockpit and evacuated passengers via slides” around 6 p.m.
Newark Liberty International Airport issued a travel advisory on X, stating that all flight operations were “temporarily suspended while an aircraft is removed from the taxiway due to an earlier incident.”
A ground stop was implemented from 5:42 p.m. to 7 p.m. for what the FAA described as an “aircraft emergency.”
⚠️ Travel Advisory ⚠️
Flight operations at Newark Liberty are temporarily suspended while an aircraft is removed from the taxiway due to an earlier incident.
Travelers are encouraged to check with their airline for up-to-date travel information. pic.twitter.com/x4V12jp51u [4]
— Newark Liberty International Airport (@EWRairport) February 18, 2026 [5]
The FAA had initially indicated that the New Jersey airport could remain closed from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time. However, operations resumed just after 7 p.m., limiting the total shutdown to about an hour.
During the incident, a video recorded by travelers stranded on the taxiway showed multiple emergency response vehicles lined up on the tarmac near the affected aircraft.
Another video taken by a passenger aboard the JetBlue flight captured passengers exiting the plane as firefighters directed them back toward the terminal.
Video shared with Kol Haolam by a passenger on the JetBlue flight that made an emergency return to Newark Airport. Passengers amd crew evacuated via slides. pic.twitter.com/9gv3LgUd0B [6]
— KolHaolam (@KolHaolam) February 18, 2026 [7]
The evacuation of the aircraft led to the temporary suspension of flight operations at one of the region’s busiest airports. Even after reopening, departing flights continued to face delays of roughly an hour, according to FAA updates.
JetBlue confirmed that the engine issue triggered the emergency response and the decision to return to Newark. The airline stated that it “will work closely with the appropriate federal authorities to investigate what occurred.”
No injuries were reported in the initial statements released by the FAA or JetBlue. The aircraft was removed from the taxiway following the evacuation, allowing airport operations to resume.
Newark Liberty International Airport serves as a major hub in the New York metropolitan area, handling hundreds of daily departures and arrivals. The brief shutdown underscored how quickly an emergency on a single flight can ripple across the broader air traffic system.
The FAA and JetBlue have not yet released additional details regarding the cause of the reported cockpit smoke. The investigation remains ongoing.