FAA launches investigation after pilot sees ‘unmanned aircraft’ flying near

“One of the pilots of DL407 made the near miss aware to the tower controller who immediately began informing other arrivals who were on the same approach”, says the AirLive report.

A Delta airplane attempting to land at a New York airport on Friday narrowly avoided hitting an unmanned aircraft, according to the FAA.

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A Delta Airlines crew spotted a possible drone Friday afternoon while landing at John F. Kennedy worldwide Airport.

The pilot wasn’t forced to take evasive action and the plane didn’t make any contact. “We are investigating and cooperating fully with the Federal Aviation Administration”, said the spokesman.

During the most critical phase of the flight, the drone flew just 100 feet from the plane when FAA safety regulations require a 1,000 foot vertical distance.

Drones that fly too close to commercial flights pose a serious threat to the larger aircraft, Phil Derner of NYCaviation.com told CNN affiliate WPIX. (SW of JFK) The plane was an MD-88 with five crew members and 154 passengers on board.