newark airport closed after cockpit smoke forces emergency landing; separate flight grounded after bullet found
Newark Liberty International Airport was closed Wednesday evening and held under a ground stop as emergency crews responded to an in-flight emergency that prompted an evacuation. The shutdown compounded delays at the busy New Jersey hub after a separate incident earlier in the day left a United flight temporarily grounded when a single bullet was located in an overhead bin.
Ground stop and emergency evacuation after cockpit smoke
The Federal Aviation Administration said a JetBlue flight bound for Palm Beach, Florida, reported smoke in the cockpit and diverted to Newark. The aircraft landed at the airport and passengers were evacuated down emergency slides. The FAA issued a ground stop for the airport while crews and safety officials secured the scene and conducted inspections.
Airport operations were suspended until 11: 00 p. m. ET Wednesday. Authorities have not released further details about the cause of the smoke or whether any injuries occurred. Aircraft evacuations by slide are treated as high-priority events that trigger inspections and coordinated responses from fire, medical and aviation safety teams; this response kept runways and gates out of service during the evening rush.
Airport and federal aviation officials are investigating the sequence of events that led to the in-flight smoke indication and the subsequent evacuation. Air traffic flow into and out of the region was disrupted, prompting flight diversions and cancellations at surrounding airports as carriers adjusted schedules to cope with the temporary closure.
Earlier incident: bullet found in overhead bin grounds United jet
Earlier Tuesday, a United Airlines Boeing 737 scheduled to operate from Newark to Miami was declared a crime scene after crew members discovered a bullet in an overhead bin during boarding procedures. The flight, initially set to depart at 2: 07 p. m. ET, was held while security personnel conducted a full sweep of the cabin and completed an investigation of the discovery.
Security teams cleared the aircraft and it eventually departed roughly three hours late, leaving around 5: 00 p. m. ET. Authorities have not said how the ammunition wound up inside the cabin; firearms and ammunition are prohibited from passenger cabins unless properly declared and secured federal rules.
Incidents like this can lead to comprehensive inspections, passenger deplaning and rescreening, and involvement from multiple security and law-enforcement agencies. The discovery follows a string of recent airport security finds highlighting how small items overlooked by travelers can trigger major disruptions.
Operational fallout and passenger impact
Passengers at Newark experienced delays, missed connections and gate changes as airport staff and carriers worked to rebook travelers and manage ground operations. Airlines implemented contingency plans as gate space and ground resources were reallocated to deal with both the emergency evacuation and the security sweep earlier in the day.
Transportation security measures in recent years have intercepted ammunition and firearms concealed in carry-on or checked luggage through a variety of unusual methods. Those prior cases underscore both the vigilance of checkpoint screeners and the potential for seemingly isolated discoveries to ripple through airport systems, creating long delays for other flights.
Investigations into the JetBlue cockpit-smoke incident and the United overhead-bin finding are ongoing. Officials have said passengers involved in both incidents have been assisted, and airports and carriers will provide updates as investigators complete inspections and determine next steps. Travelers using the airport are advised to expect continued operational adjustments while teams work to restore normal service.
