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Drone nearly hits United plane landing in Newark, pilot says
Yahoo • • business
Key Points:
- A United Airlines Boeing 737 nearly collided with a drone about 100 feet below the aircraft while approaching Newark Liberty International Airport, with the incident occurring around 5:20 p.m. ET and the plane landing safely shortly after.
- The FAA is investigating the incident, which involved 106 passengers and five crew members; another pilot on a United Express flight also reported seeing a drone near Newark at a similar time.
- Drone sightings near US airports are common, with around 100 reports monthly, but collisions or evasive actions by pilots are rare; only eight reports involved pilots taking action to avoid drones this year.
- Airports are increasingly adopting detection and counter-drone technologies to manage the growing presence of drones in congested airspace, with federal agencies collaborating on safety and regulatory measures.
- Newark Airport is near the World Cup event site in East Rutherford, where drone activity is heavily restricted, reflecting ongoing concerns about drones disrupting airport operations, as seen in past incidents at nearby airports.
