A possible drone encounter near John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday afternoon marked the second such incident at the airport in a single day.
The sighting occurred when a helicopter pilot flying near the airport reported a remote-control airplane flying close to their aircraft, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Just hours earlier, a JetBlue flight experienced a possible drone strike while approaching JFK for landing.
JFK air traffic control issued a warning to nearby pilots of an unauthorized unmanned aircraft system operating in protected airspace, stating that a "red and white" remote-controlled airplane was spotted flying at an altitude of 500 feet.
The sighting occurred approximately 1 mile from the Canarsie (CRI) navigation beacon, a key waypoint used by aircraft lining up to land at JFK.
It remains unclear whether the two cases are related, but the FAA notified local authorities about the report.
Flying a remote-controlled aircraft or drone near a major airport is illegal and poses a serious safety risk to aircraft operating in the area, according to the agency.
Earlier Monday morning, a JetBlue flight struck a drone at approximately 3,000 feet, roughly 10 miles from JFK, the FAA reported.
Air traffic audio recordings indicate the encounter occurred above the cockpit, and although the flight landed without incident, a post-flight inspection did not reveal any damage to the aircraft.
