Police quiz flight crew after near-miss with drone
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner came close to being hit by a drone as it came into land at Heathrow, according to the latest report by UK Airprox Board.
The Board said that it was mainly due to luck that a collision was avoided as there had been not time for the pilot to take evasion action.
The crew, who were interviewed by police when the plane landed, said a ‘rotor-wing’ helicopter-like object had passed ‘very closely above and slightly to the right’ of the 787 at about 4,000 feet, which is 10 times the legal limit for drones.
They estimated there was only about 100 feet between the aircraft and the drone, causing a risk of collision.
The Board said the drone was being flown beyond practical limits such that it was endangering other aircraft.
The report added: "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."
Last month, it was reported that another plane carrying 160 passengers narrowly missed being hit by a drone as it took off from Heathrow on January 7.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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