The pilot of a commercial flight in the U.S. reported on Wednesday that a drone could have collided with his plane at an altitude of several hundred meters as the aircraft was preparing to land at the airport, LETA reported citing AFP.
A recorded conversation between the San Diego airport control tower and a United Airlines Boeing 737 indicates that the pilot was confident in the contact between the plane and a small unmanned aerial vehicle.
The incident occurred around 8:30 AM (7:30 PM Latvian time), approximately an hour and a half after departing from San Francisco, when the plane was at an altitude of about 900 meters.
"It was so small that I can't say," the pilot told air traffic controllers who were asking for details about the possible collision with the drone. "It was red (...) it was bright."
A spokesperson for United Airlines confirmed the report of a possible sighted drone but noted that it caused no damage. There were 48 passengers and six crew members on board, and no one was injured.
"The plane landed safely [in San Diego], and the passengers disembarked without incident. Our technical team found no damage after a thorough inspection," the airline representative stated.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibits the use of drones at altitudes above 400 feet (122 meters) without special permission. Drone operators must avoid restricted airspace, including near airports.
Leave a comment