Possible JetBlue flight control issue may have been caused by cosmic flare

A JetBlue flight traveling from Cancun to Newark experienced a sudden mid-air drop that left 15 passengers injured and forced an emergency landing in Tampa. Initial investigations focused on a potential software malfunction aboard the Airbus A320, but new theories suggest a far more extraordinary cause.

The incident occurred in October, when the aircraft unexpectedly lost stability, propelling several passengers into overhead panels. While authorities initially described the event as a flight control issue, specialists in space weather have since proposed that a burst of cosmic radiation may have interfered with the jets systems.

Space weather researcher Clive Dyer from the University of Surrey noted that high-energy particles generated by distant stellar explosions can travel across the universe and occasionally penetrate Earths atmosphere. These particles, known as cosmic rays, have the potential to disrupt sensitive electronic components onboard modern aircraft.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson explained that cosmic flares release streams of particles moving at nearly the speed of light. Though most are blocked by the atmosphere, rare events allow some to reach lower altitudes where they can interact with electronic systems. Tyson described them as high-energy protons that trigger particle cascades when they strike the atmosphere.

Aviation safety specialist Anthony Brickhouse added that turbulence played no role in the aircrafts abrupt descent. He emphasized that highly computerized planeswhether from Airbus or Boeingare susceptible to anomalies affecting onboard software.

Airbus has since begun rolling out software updates to its U.S. fleet of roughly 6,000 aircraft. Experts stress that such radiation-related disruptions are extremely uncommon, and passengers can best protect themselves by keeping seat belts fastened throughout the flight.

The FAA has yet to provide a revised statement on the investigation.

Author: Connor Blake