United Airlines flight almost hit drone ‘100 feet below us’ in scary near-collision at Newark Airport - New York Post

See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google 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 federal agency receives more than 100 drone-sighting reports near airports each month, which can cause dangerous consequences. Unauthorized operators are subject to fines and criminal charges, including possible jail time, the FAA warned.