U.S. News

Flight Narrowly Misses Drone at Major U.S. Airport

CLOSE CALL

The United Airlines pilot reported seeing a drone nearly 100 feet away from his plane as it landed.

With New York's skyline in the background, a United Airlines flight taxis on the runway at Newark International Airport on August 26, 2002.
Chip East

United Airlines Flight 1513 nearly hit a drone as it landed at Newark Airport on Friday. The flight, which took off from Key West, Florida, was about 100 feet away from the drone moments before it landed in New Jersey, according to the pilot. “We almost hit a drone,” the pilot said to air traffic control in audio obtained by CNN. “About a hundred feet below us.” The pilot also shared that the drone was circular and about three feet wide. As a result of the collision, the Federal Aviation Administration, overseen by Administrator Bryan Bedford, is actively investigating the incident. “We want to send a clear message that operating drones around airplanes, helicopters, and airports is dangerous and illegal,” the agency said in a statement to People. According to the Foundation for Aviation Safety, there have been 28 serious safety incidents involving drones reported to police since October 2024. However, the threat of drone collisions remains, as the FAA receives approximately 100 reports of drone sightings near airports each month.

Read it at People