Posted on 06/27/2026 9:20:14 AM PDT by Libloather
A United Airlines jet nearly smashed into a drone as it was landing on the Newark runway Friday, officials said.
The crew narrowly avoided the unmanned aircraft during its descent around 4:20 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
“We almost hit a drone,” the pilot can be heard saying in air traffic control audio verified by CNN.
The circular and three-foot-wide device was only “about 100 feet below us.”
Another pilot flying into Newark on a separate plane also reported seeing the drone at roughly 2,000 feet, additional audio shows.
The United Airlines Boeing 737 was carrying 106 passengers and 5 crew members from Key West, Florida.
“United flight 1513 reported a potential drone sighting prior to arriving in Newark. The flight landed safely, and customers deplaned normally at the gate,” United said in a statement.
The FAA is investigating the incident.
The federal agency receives more than 100 drone-sighting reports near airports each month, which can cause dangerous consequences.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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This is from an internet search for close encounters in the last year.
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Drone Near Misses Reported by Airliners in the Last 12 Months
Based on the latest Associated Press analysis of the U.S. aviation safety database, drones accounted for nearly two‑thirds of all reported near midair collisions involving commercial passenger planes at the country’s top 30 busiest airports in 2024 CBS News+1. These incidents occurred during the last 12 months of the dataset and represent only a fraction of the total close calls, since the database relies on voluntary pilot and aviation worker reports.
While the exact total number of drone‑related near misses in the past year is not specified in the provided sources, the data show that drones were the dominant cause of such events in 2024, surpassing other causes in percentage terms since 2020 CBS News+1. The incidents range from drones passing within 50 feet of a jet’s wing to flying just 300 feet from a cockpit window during landing CBS News+1.
Key points from the 2024 data:
Percentage of near misses: ~66% involved drones CBS News+1.
First reports: 2014; number of encounters spiked in 2015 CBS News.
Trend: Highest drone‑related near miss rate since 2020, when air traffic was lower CBS News.
Examples: Newark (Aug 2024 – 50 ft from wing), Miami (Nov 2024 – 4,000 ft altitude), San Francisco (Nov 2024 – <300 ft from cockpit) CBS News+1.
In summary, while the precise count of drone near misses in the last 12 months is not given, the available data confirm that drones were the leading cause of such incidents in 2024, with hundreds of such events reported at major U.S. airports.”
What are drones? Those little small things kids buy?
Track them dispatch Apache vaporize the user.
Are drones even allowed to be flown aroind airports?
Im not sure how dangerous to aircraft that gitting one while both in flight really is.
Newark, where you have to fly high enough to avoid light poles and drones.
The biggest commercial drone I turned up in a quick search can carry up to 1000 pounds of cargo. The military uses larger drones for bombing and launching missiles.
You might find this site helpful.
https://uavcoach.com/big-drones/
“While the exact total number of drone‑related near misses in the past year is not specified...the data show that drones were the dominant cause of such events”
Hmmm, if I understand this correctly, drones were the proximate cause of drone-related near misses. I’m no expert on this. Did I get it right?
No, I’m guessing it was a bigger more expensive one that a little kid uses.
Are we talking a Predator-sized drone or a dinky WalMart drone?
EWR is a turd floating in a porta potty in a sewer. Worst airport in the world.
Well I figured that but that was one thought I had. Birds can down planes.
The larger, more expensive drones won’t even take off if you’re in a restricted zone.
“Percentage of near misses: ~66% involved drones CBS News+1.”
Birds have brought commercial aircraft down.
US Airways Flight 1549 that made an emergency landing in the Potomac was downed by a Canada goose.
I broke the rules and read the article. It says three feet.
You clearly are not worthy of FR, whether it is always better to demand others to educate you than to do so yourself.
USAF drone:
The circular and three-foot-wide device
==
Not a kid drone.
Drones and robots are dangerous because they allow miscreants to operate at a distance with total anonymity.
It will end up requiring police-state level control to allow these two new technologies to remain available to the general public.
To own/operate either will in the future require a personal license that will be hard to qualify for, a huge bond, 24/7/365 monitoring of exactly where the device is located and what it is doing... this will include a kill-switch that could permanently brick the device. Possession of drones or robotics without a license will carry very severe penalties.
Our current society lacks the moral foundation to allow free use of these technologies.
It’s regrettable but true.
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