JetBlue Pilots Aborts Landing at New York JFK After ATC Distraction

NEW YORK— JetBlue Airways (B6) flight 1794, operated by an Airbus A320 (N760JB), from San Jose Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), was forced to go around on final approach due to repeated controller queries on August 9, 2025.

The flight crew reported that constant questioning by air traffic control about visual separation from a preceding Airbus A330 distracted them and prevented timely aircraft configuration. The aircraft repositioned for another approach and landed safely.

Photo: JFK Spotting

JetBlue Pilots Aborts Landing at JFK

On approach to runway 13L at JFK, JetBlue 1794 was following an Airbus A330-200. The tower controller repeatedly asked if the A320 crew had the preceding aircraft in sight. Initially, the pilots confirmed they were searching but not yet visual, and later reported intermittent contact.

As the questioning continued, the crew lost visual contact, reported distraction, and decided to execute a go-around at approximately 1,000 feet. They informed approach control that the repeated queries prevented them from properly configuring the aircraft for landing.

ATC transmissions show the controller asking JetBlue 1794 multiple times for confirmation of visual separation. The pilots responded that they had the A330 on the transponder but not visually. Even after sighting the traffic, they reported losing visual contact again.

When pressed for a definitive answer, the crew stated they preferred to remain under radar guidance rather than maintain visual separation. This led to a missed approach, with the crew later clarifying that the constant requests distracted them during a critical flight phase.

After the go-around, JetBlue 1794 was vectored for an RNAV approach to runway 22L. The crew managed the descent and approach normally, and the aircraft landed without incident. Taxi instructions were issued, and the aircraft proceeded to its assigned gate.

During post-landing communication, the pilots reiterated to ATC that the unstable approach was a result of distraction caused by repeated visual traffic queries. They emphasized that they could not complete configuration tasks by the required altitude due to the interruptions.

Photo:N585JB JetBlue Airways 2004 Airbus A320-232 C/N 2159 “I Go… | Flickr

JetBlue Pilot and JFK ATC Comms

Here’s the detailed transcription between the JetBlue pilot and New York JFK ATC communication, as flagged by You can see ATC:

{ts:21}
Pilot (JetBlue 1794): Tower, 1794, ARNAV 13 left Zulu.
ATC: 1794, heavy A330 traffic in sight, 7 miles ahead at 2,900, runway 13 left, cleared to land.
Pilot: Cleared to land runway 13 left, and we’ll let you know if we see the heavy.

{ts:38}
ATC: 1794, do you see that A330?
Pilot: Negative, we’re looking. We got him on the transponder, but no visual yet. 2,000 feet.

{ts:57}
ATC: Okay, yeah, we’re looking at JetBlue 1794, no problem.

{ts:67}
ATC: 1794, do you see the traffic short final 13 left?
Pilot: Traffic now in sight.

{ts:80}
ATC: 1794, maintain visual separation from that traffic.
Pilot: We’ll do our best.

{ts:95}
ATC: I need an answer affirmative or negative answer, JetBlue 1794, can you or not?
Pilot: We’d like to stay under your radar surveillance, so negative, we’re on an approach.
ATC: I don’t understand what you’re saying here.
Pilot: We lost visuals. Are we clear to land on runway 13 left?

{ts:122}
Pilot: JetBlue 1794, we’re going around.
ATC: JetBlue 1794, fly the public Smith at 3,200 or 4,000.

{ts:140}
Pilot: Flying to Smith, right now going to 4,000.
ATC: Maintain 3,000, turn left heading 110.
Pilot: Going to 3,000, turning heading 110.

{ts:162}
ATC: Contact your approach 135.9.
Pilot: 135.9.

{ts:170}
Pilot: JetBlue 1794, out of 3,800 for 3,000, heading 110.
ATC (Approach): Expect vectors for the ARNAV X-ray to runway 22 left approach. Tango is current.

{ts:207}
Pilot: ARNAV 22 left X-ray, picking up Tango, JetBlue 1794.
ATC: Turn left heading 040, contact approach on 125.7.
Pilot: Heading 040, switching to 125.7.

{ts:230}
Pilot: JetBlue 1794, for 3,000 and heading 040.
ATC: Speed 210, expecting the X-ray 22 left.
Pilot: 210, will expect that.

{ts:251}
ATC: They need to know the reason for the go-around.
Pilot: To be honest, the tower controller was very distracting. Kept asking if we had visual separation with the aircraft in front, which distracted us from flying the approach.

{ts:261}
ATC: Was that in the turn or mostly on the straight-in approach?
Pilot: Basically, the whole profile, multiple times. Advised we were looking, got them in sight, lost them, distracted, and unable to be fully configured by 1,000 ft.

{ts:285}
ATC: No problem, JetBlue 1794. Was it a heavy jet in front?
Pilot: Affirmative, A330.

{ts:295}
ATC: Turn left 310.
Pilot: Left turn 310, JetBlue 1794.

{ts:310}
ATC: Proceed direct CAPIT, cross above 2,900, cleared X-ray 22 left.
Pilot: Direct CAPIT, above 2,900, cleared for ARNAV 22 left.

{ts:318}
ATC: Speed 180 until 7-mile final.

{ts:332}
ATC: Tower 119.1.
Pilot: Switching to tower.
ATC (Tower): JetBlue 1794 ARNAV X-ray 22 left. Runway 22 left cleared to land.
Pilot: Cleared to land 22 left.

{ts:369}
ATC: Taxi Juliet, right on Zulu, hold short of taxiway Hotel.
Pilot: Juliet, Zulu, short Hotel 1794.

{ts:380}
ATC: What’s your gate number?
Pilot: 524.
ATC: Roger, when able, can you state the reason for the missed on 13 left earlier?
Pilot: Told departure controller, tower controller was very distracting, contacted numerous times about traffic ahead, didn’t have in sight, distracted trying to fly approach, not properly configured by the required thousand feet.

{ts:422}
ATC: Okay, copy — unstable approach.

Bottom Line

JetBlue 1794 (A320) was distracted by repeated ATC visual queries while following an A330 on final at JFK, lost visual, and went around.

On repositioning for a second approach, the pilot reports distraction and inability to configure the aircraft on time as reasons for the go-around. Flight lands safely on the second approach.

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