Emergency Forces Closure of Newark Airport After Plane Evacuation

• Newark Airport shut down
• Plane evacuated due to smoke
• Delays caused by bad weather

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shut down Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Wednesday for approximately five hours due to an aircraft emergency that required evacuation and the subsequent removal of the plane from the runway.

The airport, which serves the New York metropolitan area, remained closed from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. local time.

The FAA website reported a full ground stop on departures because of the emergency.

There were also delays until midnight due to bad weather, including low cloud cover.

The incident resulted in what officials described as a Newark Airport emergency closure, affecting both arrivals and departures.

Plane Evacuation Emergency Causes Full Suspension

Breaking: Newark Airport (EWR) operations fully stopped until 11:00 PM EST

JetBlue Flight 543 (A320) reported smoke in cockpit after takeoff to Palm Beach.⁰Plane returned safely; passengers evacuated via slides. No injuries.

Video credit: @KolHaolam https://t.co/pW3y8IQgEj pic.twitter.com/btrx028EgS

— RapidAlert (@DisasterAlert2) February 19, 2026

According to EFE, Newark Airport stated on its X account that air operations were “temporarily suspended while a plane is being removed from the runway due to a prior incident.”

The airport’s official website specifically mentioned “the emergency evacuation of an aircraft.”

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reported that a flight that had departed at 5:43 p.m. local time bound for West Palm Beach, Florida, had to return minutes later.

The flight was operated by JetBlue.

According to information gathered by local outlet ABC7, the aircraft experienced an engine malfunction.

The plane managed to land safely without injuries before carrying out the evacuation.

Passengers Evacuated Using Emergency Slides

Additional photos and videos shared with us from Newark Airport. A passenger tells Kol Haolam that all passengers and crew are okay. pic.twitter.com/KzD6K1sQZD

— KolHaolam (@KolHaolam) February 18, 2026

The FAA told local media that the crew reported smoke in the cockpit after landing.

As a precaution, passengers were evacuated using emergency slides.

No injuries were reported during the procedure.

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The removal of the aircraft from the runway forced the temporary suspension of airport operations.

The Newark Airport emergency closure affected both incoming and outgoing flights during the designated period.

The full departure ground stop remained in effect while the emergency was being handled.

Additional Delays Due to Weather Conditions

In addition to the incident, the FAA indicated that bad weather contributed to delays.

Low clouds made flight operations more difficult throughout the day.

The scheduled closure until 11:00 p.m. local time coincided with adverse weather conditions.

Flight delays extended until midnight.

Newark Liberty International Airport is one of the main hubs serving the New York metropolitan area.

The temporary interruption disrupted flight schedules throughout Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Authorities reported no additional damage and no other aircraft directly affected by the incident.

Operations were suspended while the evacuation and removal of the involved aircraft were completed.

The FAA and airport authorities kept passengers informed through official channels during the Newark Airport emergency closure.

The incident concluded without injuries but caused a significant disruption at one of the busiest airports in the region.