A United Airlines 737 landing at Newark came within about 100 feet of a drone, according to pilots, in the latest reminder that careless or pernicious drone operators can create very real danger around airports.

United 737 Nearly Hits Drone On Approach To Newark

A United Airlines flight from Key West to Newark reportedly came dangerously close to a drone while descending into Newark Liberty International Airport. The incident occurred on United flight 1513, a Boeing 737-700 carrying 106 passengers and five crew members from Key West (EYW) to Newark (EWR). The aircraft landed safely, and passengers deplaned normally, but the report from the cockpit was sobering.

As noted by The UK Independent, the pilot told air traffic control:

“We almost hit a drone.”

The pilot reportedly described the device as circular, about three feet wide, and only about 100 feet below the aircraft. A separate United Express flight operated by GoJet also reported seeing a drone around the same time at about 2,000 feet while approaching Newark.

United confirmed the report:

“United flight 1513 reported a potential drone sighting prior to arriving in Newark. The flight landed safely, and customers deplaned normally at the gate.”

The FAA is now investigating.

Drones Near Airports Are Not Harmless

There is sometimes a tendency to roll our eyes at drone stories, as if this is just another modern nuisance. But a three-foot-wide object near a descending 737 is not harmless.

A drone strike at low altitude could damage an engine, crack a windshield, or create a cockpit distraction at precisely the wrong moment. Even if the odds of catastrophe are low, the tolerance for this kind of nonsense around an airport should be zero.

The FAA says it receives more than 100 drone reports near airports each month, and unauthorized drone operators can face civil penalties, criminal charges, and possible jail time. Good…hopefully this drone operator will too.

I’ve been writing this blog for 17 years and greatly enjoy aviation photography, understanding full well the temptation to get “the shot.” I also understand that drones can be useful tools. But flying one near an airport without authorization is reckless. If you want to play with a drone, do it somewhere that does not put a passenger aircraft in its path…

Drone detection has improved, but actually identifying and stopping the operator can be much harder. Airports can warn aircraft and adjust operations, but that still leaves pilots reacting to a hazard that never should have been there in the first place.

CONCLUSION

United flight 1513 landed safely in Newark after pilots reported nearly hitting a drone on approach. Thankfully, this ended as a close call rather than something worse.

But drones near airports are a serious breach and the person responsible for this should be found and prosecuted if the facts support it. A 737 on final approach should not have to dodge anything…