Overview
- JetBlue Flight 1112 from Curaçao to New York halted its climb on December 12 after the crew spotted a U.S. KC-135R tanker at the same altitude near Venezuelan airspace.
- The pilot reported the aircraft passed directly ahead within a few miles and described the event as a near mid-air collision in recorded ATC audio.
- Curaçao air traffic control said the military plane did not appear on radar because it was not transmitting a transponder signal.
- JetBlue reported the incident to federal authorities and pledged full cooperation, and U.S. Southern Command says it is examining the circumstances; the flight later landed safely at JFK.
- The FAA had warned in late November of degraded safety conditions and increased military activity in the area, and the tanker's mission and lack of an active transponder have not been explained.