Close call: drone almost strikes easyJet flight
A new report has revealed that an easyJet flight nearly collided with a drone.
The incident occurred in July this year and was classed as Category A, which means that there was a ‘serious risk of collision’.
This is according to the UK Airprox Board, the objective of which is to enhance air safety in the UK.
Had the plane and the drone collided, the lives of 180 passengers would have been at stake. According to crew members on board the flight, a collision would have been almost certain if the plane had been left on autopilot.
A collision would have been almost certain if the plane had been left on autopilot
The drone was within 20 metres of the plane, violating airspace restrictions. It appeared when the aircraft was preparing to descend into Gatwick. At this point, the captain identified its presence.
Unfortunately, the pilots were unable to maneuver to avoid the drone and so the aircraft carried on its course. “The crew was unable to perform an evasive maneuver due to the speed of the event,” states the report. Fortunately, a collision was narrowly avoided.
The report states that the drone was being flown above the maximum permitted height of 400 feet and was ‘endangering aircraft’.
“The Board considered that the pilot’s overall account of the incident portrayed a situation where providence had played a major part in the incident and/or a definite risk of collision had existed,” the report states. But it could easily have been a different story.
With drone incidents on the rise, this worrying trend needs to be curtailed, and with new UK regulations, hopefully this is possible.