The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that four separate commercial flight crews reported seeing a drone on approach to Newark Liberty International Airport Sunday, NBC New York reported.
Fortunately, all four flights landed safely and without issue.
FAA officials specified that all four flights were approaching the runway at Newark at altitudes between 2,000 and 3,000 feet when they saw the drone near their flight path. However none of the planes had to change course to avoid the unmanned device.
In total, an ExpressJet, Northwest Airlink and two United Airlines flights reported to have spotted the drone shortly after noon ET Sunday.
Passengers arriving at Newark Sunday described the incidents as "terribly frightening" and "cause for concern," per NBC New York.
Sunday's troubling sightings come one week after a similar series of drone sightings above nearby John F. Kennedy International Airport. The FAA and Port Authority police were investigating those three incidents, which occurred in a span of three days from July 31 to Aug. 2.
Meanwhile, an American Airlines pilot reported seeing a drone below his plane as it approached Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Aug. 2. The co-pilot, who was close enough to identify the device's black and yellow color scheme, reported seeing the drone 100 feet below the plane's nose at an altitude of approximately 7,000 feet.
The FAA prohibits drone operators from flying within five miles of airports unless they gain proper clearance from a control tower. Nonetheless, those rules have seemingly gone ignored of late as close encounters between commercial jetliners and drones have become more frequent.
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