Heathrow jet in near-miss with 2 drones
Two drones were less than ten seconds from a potentially catastrophic crash with a passenger jet approaching Heathrow, investigators have found.
The Airbus A320, which can seat 150 passengers, was flying at 5,500ft over east London when its crew spotted two white, orb-shaped drones less than 500 yards away.
It was flying at an estimated 150mph at the time – meaning it would have taken just seven and a half seconds to close the distance between it and the gadgets. It was the UK’s first near-miss between an aircraft and multiple drones.
If a drone collides with a plane it can cause ‘serious damage’ or even total engine failure should it be sucked into the engine.
Less than half an hour after the incident, a second passenger jet flew within 50 yards of what is believed to be one of the drones.
It is against the law to fly drones above 400ft or near airports or airfields.
The incident is understood to be the first time an aircraft has come close to hitting more than one drone at once, according to the UK Airprox Board (UKAB). It comes at a time when close calls are becoming increasingly common, with one drone recently coming within 75ft of a plane in Edinburgh.
During the drama over London, the pilots ‘remained in constant visual contact’ with the drones to ensure they did not hit the airliner as it passed alongside them.
The investigation found the distraction had ‘compromised the safety of the aircraft’, and if the jet had been on a different approach path there would have been a ‘significant risk of collision’.
The Metropolitan Police were made aware of the near-miss, which took place on November 20 last year, but the drone operators could not be traced. There were five nearmisses between aircraft and drones in the latest monthly UKAB report, bringing the total over the past 12 months to 62.
A similar incident took place last November near Edinburgh Airport. An Airbus A319 came within just 75ft of a potentially deadly collision with a drone as it came in to land.
The official report found the pilot of the jet was left with ‘no time to take avoiding action’ during the incident, and a collision was ‘only avoided by providence’.
UKAB rated the incident as Category A, its highest level in which ‘serious risk of collision has existed’. Yesterday Jim Morris, an aviation law specialist and former RAF pilot, said: ‘Drone incidents are becoming more common and they pose a significant safety threat to airliners and other aircraft.
‘If an airliner collided with a drone it could cause serious damage to the airliner – if the drone entered an engine it could cause a full engine failure or significant loss of power at a crucial stage ... Catastrophic engine failure and wing fire could lead to a serious aircraft accident that could result in death or injuries.’
Earlier this month, police revealed a dramatic surge in drone incidents, such as smuggling packages into prisons, with 3,456 episodes last year up from 283 in 2014.
‘Can cause full engine failure’