Passengers aboard a plane carrying 106 individuals experienced a frighteningly close encounter with a drone as the aircraft neared landing, coming within approximately 100ft of the unmanned aerial vehicle.
The incident occurred as United Airlines Flight 1513 was approaching Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey following its journey from Key West, Florida on a Friday.
During communication with air traffic control, the pilots reported, “We almost hit a drone.” They described the object as circular, about three feet wide, and positioned “approximately 100 feet below us.”
The Boeing 737, with 106 passengers and five crew members on board, safely landed around 5:30 pm without any reported injuries.
United Airlines issued a statement confirming the potential drone sighting by Flight 1513 before its arrival in Newark, emphasizing that the flight landed safely and passengers disembarked as usual.
Subsequently, another pilot flying into Newark also reported a drone sighting at an altitude of around 2,000ft, as per air traffic control communications.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an investigation into the incident.
The FAA receives over 100 reports monthly regarding drones operating near airports. Unauthorized drone operations in controlled airspace are illegal in the US and can result in severe penalties, including criminal charges.
