Couple sues JetBlue after ice block allegedly linked to plane crashes through home
A California couple is taking legal action against JetBlue, saying a block of ice that fell off one of the airline's planes crashed through the roof of their home and caused hundreds of thousands in damage.
Los Angeles residents Michael Reese and Leah Ferrarini are suing JetBlue for $1 million over the January 2024 incident at their Inglewood home, according to a complaint obtained by ABC News.
The couple said in the lawsuit that shortly after 8 p.m. on Jan. 1, a chunk of ice the size of a watermelon crashed through the roof and landed "directly over their bed barely escaping devastating physical injury."
The suit alleged that the ice came from a JetBlue Airbus A321 flight from Los Angeles to New York that passed over their residence after departing from LAX.
The filing cited a Federal Aviation Administration investigation into the aircraft that allegedly found the plane had "potable water issues" dating back six months from the incident.
According to the complaint, aviation officials found the A321 aircraft's water system had a valve flange that was misaligned, subsequently causing a leak that turned to ice at the plane's altitude.
The FAA also linked the aircraft to a similar incident in Massachusetts, the couple alleged, where falling ice damaged a home in August 2023.
In the lawsuit, Reese and Ferrarini are seeking $180,000 each in property damages, $300,000 for emotional distress, $40,000 in medical expenses and $300,000 for pain, suffering and inconvenience.
The couple accused JetBlue of "negligence and trespass" in the complaint, saying they did not give the airline "permission to allow the large chunk of ice to enter their home or cause damages."
Additionally, the couple alleged that the incident has left them fearful of airplanes passing overhead and with insomnia.
Reese and Ferrarini said in the filing that they "cringe in fear with each plane that passed over their home which is approximately one every five minutes."
Additionally, the couple said in the complaint they are now looking to move away from their "dream home because they no longer feel safe there."
JetBlue filed a response to the lawsuit, denying responsibility for the damage and claiming their "conduct complied with industry standards and regulations."
The airline also requested that the court award them for costs of attorney's fees due to the lawsuit.
In a statement to ABC News, JetBlue declined to comment on the ongoing litigation, but said, "Safety is our number one priority and guides everything we do."
