ENG26LA004

On October 30, 2025 at 1748 UTC, JetBlue Airways Flight 1230 (N605JB) experienced a pitch excursion while cruising at 35,000 feet in smooth air and clear weather over the Gulf of America. The pitch excursion resulted in an approximate altitude loss of 100 feet. The flight crew elected to divert to Tampa International Airport (KTPA), Tampa, FL, and the remainder of the flight was uneventful. As a result of the pitch excursion, four flight attendants and 18 passengers sustained minor injuries. The scheduled passenger flight was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Cancun International Airport (MMUN) to Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR). The NTSB was notified of this incident on October 30, 2025, and the investigation was formally opened on October 31, 2025. The flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) were sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory in Washington, D.C. for data retrieval. The elevator and aileron computers (ELACs) were sent to Thales in Chatellerault, France and examined in the presence of the NTSB investigators. Additional components were removed from the incident airplane and sent to their respective manufacturers for potential data recovery and functional testing. A preliminary technical assessment of the A320 flight control system architecture conducted by Airbus identified a concern with ELAC software design as a possible contributing factor to the incident. In response to this finding, Airbus released Alert Operators Transmission (AOT) A27N022-25 Revision 00 and Revision 01 on November 28, 2025, followed by Revision 02 on November 29, 2025. AOT A27N022-25 was subsequently mandated by European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) 2025-0268-E on November 28, 2025, and by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) EAD 2025-24-51 on November 28, 2025. The NTSB appointed the following organizations as qualified parties to the investigation: FAA, JetBlue Airways, and Air Line Pilots Association. Pursuant to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13, the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA) was asked to provide an Accredited Representative. One was appointed, with Airbus, Thales, and EASA acting as technical advisors. Later, Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU) was also notified, and an Accredited Representative was appointed with Northrop Grumman LITEF acting as their technical advisor. This NTSB led investigation is ongoing.