ATLANTA- Delta Air Lines (DL) flight DL28 rejected takeoff at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on June 29, 2026, after the crew heard a loud bang and suspected an engine problem during the takeoff roll on runway 13R.
The Boeing 767-400 was bound for Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) in France when a following aircraft reported flames from the left engine. Emergency crews later found a rapid fuel leak, prompting the pilots to shut down both engines and request a tow to the gate.
Delta 767 Rejects Takeoff at JFK
Delta flight DL28 was operated by a Boeing 767-400ER registered as N831MH. The aircraft was accelerating for departure on runway 13R at JFK when the flight crew rejected the takeoff and brought the jet to a stop on the runway.
The crew informed Kennedy Tower that they were aborting and asked controllers to roll the emergency trucks. When asked about the nature of the problem, the pilots reported acceleration on one side followed by a popping sound. They advised controllers they suspected either a blown tire or a compressor stall.
A separate aircraft holding behind Delta 28 reported seeing a burst of flame from the number one engine, which is on the left side of the aircraft. The Delta crew confirmed both engines were still running and set the parking brake while awaiting the fire response.
Emergency Crews Confirm Fuel Leak
Rescue units circled the aircraft to inspect it from the ground. They reported no visible fire but noticed the ramp beneath the number one engine was wet, indicating a leak. The crew asked whether the liquid was fuel or oil.
Ground responders confirmed a rapid leak and detected a strong smell of fuel. The Delta crew noted a thrust reverser indication showing the number one reverser was stuck in the deployed position. Acting on the ground reports, the pilots shut down the affected left engine to stop the leak.
Rescue crews later advised that the leak appeared to have stopped. Delta 28 then requested clearance to taxi back to the gate using the remaining engine.
Runway Closure and Taxi Complications
Kennedy Tower and Ground coordinated the aircraft’s movement carefully because of the fuel spill on runway 13R. Controllers decided to hold the aircraft on the runway rather than route it across active taxiways, since a fuel cleanup was required and the airport was already changing its active runway configuration.
The airport switched operations to runway 22 during the response. The crew attempted to taxi clear on one engine but reported the stuck reverser could not be cycled back in. As a result, the aircraft could not move under its own power and required a tug.
Ground personnel confirmed the leaked liquid was fuel and carried out a quick cleanup of the affected area. The aircraft was subsequently towed to the apron.
JFK Air Traffic Control Transcript — Delta Flight DL28 Rejected Takeoff
(0:10) Kennedy Tower: Delta 28 Heavy, traffic short final runway 22L, runway 22L is in effect, wind 210 at 9. Runway 13R, cleared for takeoff.
(0:17) Delta 28: 13R cleared for takeoff, Delta 28 Heavy.
(0:27) Delta 28: Tower, Delta 28 Heavy, we’re aborting on the runway, please hold the truck.
(0:33) Kennedy Tower: Delta 28 Heavy, no problem.
(0:37) Kennedy Tower: Delta 28 Heavy, do you have the nature of the emergency?
(0:40) Delta 28: Negative. We had a full acceleration on one side and it sounded like a pop, so we expect either a blown tire or a potential compressor stall.
(0:48) Kennedy Tower: Delta 28 Heavy, no problem, you can hold your position there. We’re rolling the truck.
(1:03) Kennedy Tower: Okay, Delta 28 Heavy, did you copy that?
(1:05) Delta 28: 28 Heavy, copy. We had a full acceleration on one, appreciate it. Thank you.
(1:13) Kennedy Tower: Delta 28 Heavy, assistance is on the way.
(1:15) Delta 28: 28 Heavy, roger.
(2:00) Kennedy Tower: Delta 28 Heavy, the truck is on this frequency. If you want to talk to him, it’s truck number 2.
(2:03) Delta 28: Copy. Truck 2, Delta 28, on the short takeoff we had a loud pop, and the jet behind us reported flames out the left engine. Both engines are running, parking brake set.
(2:17) Rescue 2: Roger. Delta from Rescue 2.
(2:21) Delta 28: Go ahead.
(2:23) Rescue 2: We’re just going to circle around and see if we see anything from our vantage point, okay?
(2:29) Delta 28: Thank you.
(2:37) Rescue 2: Roger, I don’t see any indication of fire, but on your number 1 engine it looks like fuel is probably leaking. The ground is wet. There’s definitely something leaking from your engine.
(2:49) Delta 28: Okay, we have a reverser indication that it’s stuck out as well. And that’s the number 1 engine?
(2:56) Rescue 2: That’s correct, your left side, number 1.
(2:59) Delta 28: Okay, we’re going to go ahead and cut that off.
(3:04) Rescue 2: You can smell the fuel as well.
(3:06) Delta 28: Okay, copy, thank you.
(3:15) Kennedy Tower: Truck 2, you can come up on 121.65 to continue talking to Delta.
(3:25) Kennedy Tower: And Delta 28 Heavy, same for you, switch to 121.65.
(3:29) Delta 28: 28 Heavy, switching.
(3:44) Delta 28: Yeah, we’ve cut that left engine off. Does it look like we’re still leaking fuel?
(3:48) Rescue 2: That’s confirmed, it’s coming out at a rapid rate.
(3:52) Delta 28: Okay, we’re showing no indications up here. It’s possible it’s oil, not fuel.
(4:08) Rescue 2: It smells like fuel.
(4:19) Rescue 2: Yeah, Delta, it looks like fuel, it doesn’t look like oil.
(4:22) Delta 28: Okay, we have no indications up here. What do you suggest, taxi back?
(4:29) Rescue 2: Yeah, we could follow you back.
(4:31) Delta 28: Okay, that sounds good, we’ll get a clearance here in a second.
(4:37) Kennedy Ground: Delta 28 Heavy, Kennedy Ground on 121.65, just let me know when you’re ready to move on this frequency.
(4:48) Kennedy Ground: Copy, and just let me know where your gate’s going to be.
(4:52) Delta 28: Copy, we’ll try to get clear of the runway, thank you.
(4:55) Kennedy Ground: Just to be honest with you, since they’re going to have to clean up, I’ll probably leave you on 13R and send you down toward Kilo Echo. If they’re doing a cleanup, I’d rather it be on that runway than the taxiways, since we’re changing runways anyway.
(5:10) Delta 28: Okay, thank you.
(5:18) Rescue 2: It looks like it stopped leaking at this time.
(5:21) Delta 28: Okay, we’re going to call for taxi in about one minute.
(5:27) Delta 28: Ground, Delta 28, we’d like to give it a shot and taxi in on the other engine whenever you’re good.
(5:34) Kennedy Ground: All right, Delta 28 Heavy, taxi down 13R and hold short of Kilo Echo for now.
(5:39) Delta 28: Taxi down 13R, short of Kilo Echo, Delta 28 Heavy.
(6:12) Kennedy Ground: Delta 28 Heavy, you can start your taxi, short of Kilo Echo.
(6:15) Delta 28: Taxi in, short of Kilo Echo, Delta 28 Heavy, thanks.
(6:28) Delta 28: All right Ground, Delta 28 Heavy, looks like that’s going to be a no-go for us. The other reverser is stuck out and we’re unable to get it cycled, so it looks like we’re going to need a tow.
(6:40) Kennedy Ground: Delta 28 Heavy, copy that. Stay here, you’re going to need a tow.
(7:13) Kennedy Ground: And Delta 28 Heavy, confirm brakes set so the vehicles can approach.
(7:18) Delta 28: Brakes are set.
(7:20) Kennedy Ground: Copy. Are you going to shut down completely?
(7:22) Delta 28: We can, we’ll wait for the tug.
(7:50) Kennedy Ground: Car 99, are you still in the vicinity of where the aircraft initially stopped?
(7:54) Car 99: That’s affirmative.
(7:57) Kennedy Ground: Any report on what the liquid actually was?
(8:02) Car 99: Yeah, it’s fuel.
(8:05) Car 99: We’re going to do a quick cleanup, and as soon as I can get it back to you, I will.
(8:09) Kennedy Ground: Okay, you can take your time, because we did change runways, we’re on 22 now.
(8:14) Car 99: Copy that, thank you.
Passenger Impact and Aircraft Status
Delta confirmed that an engine issue caused the aborted takeoff. The airline reported 232 customers and 12 crew members on board at the time of the incident.
The rejected takeoff temporarily halted runway operations at JFK. FlightAware data showed the airport recorded around 200 delayed flights that day, with Delta accounting for roughly 40 of them, according to The Travel.
A replacement Boeing 767-400 registered as N828MH completed the flight to Nice with a delay of about 5.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft, N831MH, returned to service roughly 30 hours after the rejected takeoff.
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