Aviation Daily Brief - February 19, 2026

Major Incident: JetBlue Flight 543 Emergency

• Date/Time: February 18, 2026, around 23:00 GMT (6-7 PM ET)
• Details:
  • JetBlue Airbus A320 (Flight 543) reported smoke in the cockpit shortly after takeoff from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), bound for Palm Beach, FL.
  • The aircraft returned safely, landed, and exited the runway.
  • Approximately 122 passengers were evacuated via emergency slides; one passenger was hospitalized for chest pains.
  • No other injuries reported.
• Impact:
  • The FAA issued a ground stop at EWR until around 11 PM ET, causing widespread delays and diversions.
  • The FAA is conducting an investigation into the incident.
• Status: EWR reopened post-11 PM ET; ongoing FAA probe.

Other Notable Events

• KLM Dreamliner Medical Emergency: On February 17, a KLM Boeing 787 diverted to Iceland mid-Atlantic due to a passenger medical crisis. (Source: @FlyingFreak73)
• Delta Flight Passenger Incident: On February 18, a passenger attempted to breach the cockpit on a Delta flight at a major US airport, causing chaos. (Source: @MirrorBreaking_)
• Iran NOTAM for Rocket Launches: The FAA noted Iran's advisory for rocket tests in southern Iran on February 18, which may impact aviation. (Sources: @TheInsiderPaper, @DeItaone)
• India Plane Crash Probe: Ajit Pawar's son is demanding an impartial investigation into a recent aircraft incident involving his father, questioning the handling of the black box. (Source: @ss_suryawanshi)
• News Briefs: Asian Aviation's daily roundup on February 19 covered updates on flyadeal, Tecnam, and other general aviation news, with no major crashes reported.

Social Media Highlights

• High engagement posts regarding the JetBlue incident from outlets like @Breaking911 and @krisvancleave.
• Real-time updates from aviation reporters and outlets, including CBS and NY Post.

No fatalities or other major crashes reported in the last 48 hours. For live updates, monitor FAA or Flightradar24.