A JetBlue Airbus A321-200N was forced to divert shortly after departure from Aruba on Jan 18th, 2026, after a loud bang in the aircraft’s cargo area startled passengers and crew and triggered an in-flight troubleshooting sequence.
The aircraft, registered N2086J and operating flight B6-1058 from Aruba to New York JFK, was carrying 180 passengers and six crew members when the incident occurred. Moments after takeoff from runway 11, while the aircraft was climbing, a loud noise was heard coming from one of the cargo bays. In response, the crew stopped the climb at around flight level 060 and entered a holding pattern to assess the situation.
After evaluating the circumstances, the pilots decided to divert to Fort Lauderdale, Florida as a precaution. The aircraft continued at a low altitude, initially around FL100 and later approximately 12,000 feet, before landing safely on Fort Lauderdale’s runway 28L about two hours and ten minutes after departure.
Once on the ground and taxiing to the apron, the crew informed passengers that an unsecured bag in the cargo hold had slid past the cargo net and struck the rear section of the aircraft, causing the loud bang heard shortly after takeoff. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft sustained no immediate damage that prevented a safe landing.
To minimize disruption, JetBlue arranged a replacement Airbus A321-200N, registered N2047J, to operate the onward journey to New York. The substitute aircraft departed Fort Lauderdale and reached JFK with a delay of approximately 4.5 hours.
The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Fort Lauderdale for about 20 hours for inspection before being returned to service, concluding an incident that, while alarming for those on board, was safely handled through standard crew procedures.
