A JetBlue plane bound for Fort Lauderdale, FL, was forced to return to Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday after an engine cover dropped off the jet shortly following taking off.

“We heard a bump,” one passenger on the plane told the NY Daily News. “It sounded like we were going over a bump… We all panicked because we thought the plane was going to come down.”

The plane, which took off at 6:15 am, was only in the air for 11 minutes before it landed safely back in Newark with no one injured.

In a statement, Jet Blue explained that “pilots received an indication of an engine cowling (similar to the hood of a car for the engine) open or separated from the aircraft. The pilots elected to return to the field.”

All 134 passengers on board were offered a refund and a free round-trip ticket.

JetBlue forced to land in New Jersey after engine cover falls off during take-off [NY Daily News]
Thanks to SteveDave for the tip

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