A United Airlines flight nearly hit a drone while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport, and federal officials are now investigating the close call.
Quick Take
- The United flight landed safely after the drone sighting near Newark.
- The pilot said the drone was about 100 feet below the plane.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has opened an investigation.
- Another pilot also reported seeing a drone near the same airport around the same time.
What Happened Over Newark
United Airlines Flight 1513 was arriving from Key West, Florida, when the crew reported a drone during its approach to Newark on Friday evening. CNN reported that the pilot said, “We almost hit a drone,” and described it as round and about three feet in diameter. The plane landed safely, and United said passengers deplaned normally at the gate.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the flight crew saw the drone while nearing Newark Liberty International Airport around 5:20 p.m. Eastern time. A separate report from another United Express crew added more concern, because that pilot also saw a drone at about 2,000 feet near the same time. No injuries were reported, but the incident shows how quickly a bad drone flight can put passengers and crews at risk.
Why This Raises Bigger Safety Concerns
Drone activity near major airports is not a minor nuisance. It can force pilots to react fast during the most sensitive part of a flight, when the plane is low and close to the runway. Reports from Newark say the drone was close enough for the crew to treat it as a serious hazard. That is exactly the kind of airspace breach that alarms safety officials and ordinary travelers alike.
The Newark case also fits a wider pattern of drone reports near busy airports in the New York area. Local and national coverage has pointed to repeated sightings and investigations, including separate drone incidents near Newark and John F. Kennedy International Airport. The basic problem is simple: unauthorized drones in controlled airspace create danger, and the public usually learns about the risk only after pilots report it.
What Officials Are Likely To Focus On Next
The Federal Aviation Administration will likely try to determine where the drone came from, how high it was flying, and whether the operator can be identified. The agency has already said it is investigating the Newark incident. United said the flight landed safely, but the unanswered question is how a drone got into the approach path of a commercial jet in the first place.
A United Airlines 737 came within 100 feet of a drone at Newark on 27 June. The FAA receives 100+ drone sighting reports near airports every month. DeTect's DRONEWATCHER® delivers real-time multi-layer detection and alerting.https://t.co/vtXdivaFjY#DroneDetection #AirportSafety pic.twitter.com/Scay7BtCVy
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That question matters because airport airspace is supposed to be tightly controlled, especially around a major hub like Newark. When a drone shows up near a landing aircraft, it puts passengers, crew members, and people on the ground in unnecessary danger. For travelers who expect order in the skies, this is another reminder that weak drone enforcement can turn a routine landing into a close call.
Sources:
feedpress.me, cnn.com, people.com
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