Aer Lingus jet in JFK close call

An Aer Lingus jet had to abort its landing at Kennedy Airport Tuesday afternoon when a small plane was spotted on the runway assigned for the landing.

The A330 Airbus, flight EI105, was arriving from Dublin with a full passenger load that included former Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald and Irish soccer team coach Mick McCarthy.

The pilot of the Aer Lingus plane raised the undercarriage and, according to one passenger, "really hit the gas."

The passenger said he was thrown back into his seat by the force of the rapidly accelerated ascent.

However, the passenger was generous in his praise of the action taken by the Aer Lingus pilot. He said that the pilot had clearly acted correctly and quickly.

An Aer Lingus spokesman in New York said that the airline’s head office on Long Island had immediately been made aware of the incident and was investigating.

"Passengers were not at risk at any point," the spokesman said.

After the aborted landing, which took place shortly before 2.30 p.m., the Airbus made a circuit of Kennedy before landing normally.