Passengers aboard a plane carrying 106 individuals experienced a frighteningly close encounter with a drone as the aircraft approached Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The incident involved United Airlines Flight 1513, which had just flown from Key West, Florida.
During air traffic control communications, the pilots alerted the presence of a drone, describing it as a circular object measuring around three feet in width and flying approximately 100 feet below their aircraft. Despite this near miss, the Boeing 737, with its 106 passengers and five crew members, managed to land safely around 5:30 pm without any reported injuries.
In response to the incident, United Airlines issued a statement confirming the potential drone sighting before the plane’s arrival at Newark, ensuring the safe landing and normal disembarkation of passengers.
Subsequently, another pilot arriving at Newark also reported spotting a drone at an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet, as per air traffic control communications. The Federal Aviation Administration has initiated an investigation into the matter.
It is noteworthy that the FAA routinely receives over 100 reports monthly concerning unauthorized drone activities near airports. Operating drones in controlled airspace without proper authorization is illegal in the United States and can lead to severe penalties, including criminal charges.