JetBlue Flight Diverts After Evasive Action Tail Strike

The FAA and NTSB are investigating a Jan. 22 tail strike that appears to have resulted from evasive action taken by the crew of JetBlue A320 at an uncontrolled airport in Hayden, Colorado. The FAA has confirmed the tail strike and that it’s investigating. The NTSB is classifying it as an accident and is calling the damage “substantial.” The Aviation Safety Network is reporting the incident happened when the JetBlue crew spotted a King Air 350 on final for the opposite end of the runway on which they were nearing takeoff speed. “The aircraft became airborne in a hard right-hand banking turn and climbed away to the right of the runway,” the publication reported. “The flight climbed to FL310 and the flight crew decided to divert to Denver International Airport, Colorado, where it landed safely ….”

Aviation Safety Network says the King Air was about three miles out when the A320 started its takeoff roll and the two planes passed within about a half-mile of each other. The other airplane is owned and operated by an Oklahoma television service provider. Hayden-Yampa Valley is the airport that serves airlines and large business jets for those going to the Steamboat Springs resort area, about 120 miles northwest of Denver. It’s a CTAF airport with a Unicom frequency (123.00). Instrument approaches are handled by Denver Center. Weather at the time of the incident was cloudy with calm winds and a temperature of about 14 degrees F.