A United Airlines flight experienced a close call when it nearly collided with a drone while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport on Friday.
Air traffic control audio verified by CNN captured the pilot telling controllers that "we almost hit a drone...about 100 feet below us."
Fortunately, the Boeing 737, which was traveling from Key West, Florida and carrying 106 passengers and five crew members, landed safely and passengers were deplaned as normal at the gate.
"United flight 1513 reported a potential drone sighting prior to arriving in Newark. The flight landed safely, and customers deplaned normally at the gate," the airline confirmed in a statement.
The incident, which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating, occurred shortly before 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
According to additional air traffic control audio from around the same time, another pilot flying into Newark on a United Express flight operated by GoJet Airlines also reported seeing a drone at roughly 2,000 feet.
The FAA reports approximately 100 drone sightings per month near U.S. airports, even though drones are prohibited from this airspace.
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