JetBlue airplanes on the tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Thursday, March 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
A California couple has filed a $1 million lawsuit against JetBlue, alleging a watermelon-size block of ice fell off one of the airline’s planes and crashed through the roof of their home.
Michael Reese and Leah Ferrarini allege that a large chunk of ice fell from a JetBlue Airbus A321 and into their Inglewood home at 8:09 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2024, according to the complaint.
The couple said they were home when a large block of ice crashed through the roof over their bed. They barely escaped devastating physical injury, the lawsuit said.
The incident caused hundreds of thousands in damages and they are now forced to move out of their “dream home,” which they bought in 2020 and renovated with the hope of living there for many years, according to the couple.
“Unfortunately this dream was ruined, when on January 1, 2024, at or about 8:09 pm, a large block of ice, the size of watermelon, was discharged from a JetBlue aircraft,” court documents said.
Police and fire personnel were called to the home in response.
An investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) found that the aircraft — en route to Los Angeles International Airport from John F. Kennedy International Airport — had a history of potable water issues and was suspected of dropping ice on another property in Massachusetts on Aug. 13, 2023, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges JetBlue failed to investigate and correct the problems.
In February 2024, the aircraft at issue was removed from service for maintenance and inspections, the lawsuit says.
“The ice block falling on Plaintiffs’ house caused severe damage to Plaintiffs’ roof and Plaintiffs were put in direct and reasonable fear for their own safety as the ice landed directly above their pillows in their bedroom,” the lawsuit said. “Further, the incident has had a lasting and profound effect on Plaintiffs causing severe emotional distress and necessitating treatment. Immediately following the incident with the falling ice, Plaintiffs would cringe in fear with each plane that passed over their home which is approximately one every five minutes.”
“Plaintiffs can no longer sleep comfortably in their beds without thinking of the incident that occurred and as a result suffer from insomnia,” court documents added. “The insomnia has forced Plaintiff Mike Reese to turn down work as a commercial driver in the TV and Film Industry. The incident has overall made them anxious and depressed, feeling unsafe in what was their dream home.”
JetBlue’s attorneys said the airline wasn’t liable for the incident, Business Insider reported. Its conduct was “pursuant to statutes, governmental regulations, and industry standards.”
“Safety is our number one priority and guides everything we do,” an airline spokesperson said.
