A JetBlue crew reported an onboard collision warning as a small plane flew nearby.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Federal officials are investigating a close call near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after a JetBlue crew reported a nearby small plane while approaching for landing Monday evening.
The incident drew attention after air traffic control audio captured tense exchanges among pilots and a controller as JetBlue Flight 1256 neared the airport. The Federal Aviation Administration said required separation was maintained, and the JetBlue aircraft landed safely. The other aircraft, a Beechcraft 76 registered to a flight school company, was not in contact with air traffic control at the time, officials said.
The close call happened around 6:15 p.m. Monday near the busy Broward County airport. The JetBlue pilots received an onboard alert that another aircraft was nearby and not communicating with controllers, according to the FAA. A controller told the JetBlue crew about the traffic as the passenger jet continued its approach. In audio from the exchange, a JetBlue pilot said, “Yeah, they’re turning toward us.” The controller then responded that the other plane appeared to be descending and later leveling at about 4,400 feet.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft came within about 500 feet vertically and about 1.6 miles horizontally, according to reports based on open-source tracking information. Pilots on the JetBlue flight reported a Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System notification, known as TCAS, and climbed to avoid the smaller plane. About 20 seconds later, a controller described the other pilot as “insane,” and the JetBlue pilot answered, “I agree.” Another controller reference described the pilot as “Mad Max.” Officials have not said who was flying the Beechcraft or whether any enforcement action is planned.
The Beechcraft 76 was registered to Sun City Aviation LLC, according to FAA records cited in reports. The company is tied to flight training, and the area west of Fort Lauderdale is marked on FAA charts as a place with concentrated flight training activity. In such airspace, student pilots and training aircraft are common. Reports said the aircraft appeared to be flying in visual flight conditions, when pilots generally have a duty to see and avoid other aircraft. The FAA also said the smaller aircraft had not been in radio contact with air traffic control during the encounter.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is one of Florida’s major passenger airports and sits near other aviation activity in Broward County, including North Perry Airport, which handles many smaller private and training aircraft. The mix of airline traffic and general aviation can place large passenger jets and smaller planes in the same region, especially during approach and departure periods. In this case, the JetBlue flight continued to a safe landing after the alert. Airport officials said another JetBlue flight also was warned about the small plane and landed safely.
The FAA investigation is expected to examine radar data, flight paths, radio communications, transponder information and whether the small aircraft followed rules for the airspace it was using. Investigators also are expected to review why the Beechcraft was not talking with air traffic control and whether its actions created a safety risk beyond the onboard alert. No injuries were reported, and there was no collision. The FAA has not announced a timeline for completing its review, and it has not released the name of the Beechcraft pilot.
The episode comes during a period of heightened concern over close calls in U.S. aviation. Federal officials and airlines have faced repeated questions about runway conflicts, near misses and air traffic staffing since several widely reported incidents at major airports. This encounter did not result in a loss of required separation, according to the FAA, but the radio traffic showed how quickly crews and controllers reacted when the JetBlue crew saw the smaller aircraft moving near its flight path.
As of Thursday, the FAA investigation remained open. JetBlue Flight 1256 and the other JetBlue aircraft involved in the warnings landed safely, and federal officials had not reported any injuries or damage.
Author note: Last updated June 4, 2026.