Drone Comes Within 200 Feet of Plane Near LAX

Police are looking for its owner
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 18, 2016 6:08 PM CDT
Drone Comes Within 200 Feet of Plane Near LAX
A recreational drone, or UAV, came within 200 feet of a passenger plane landing at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday.   (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Officials say a drone came within about 200 feet of a commercial airliner as it approached Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, the AP reports. An FAA spokesperson says the pilot of the Lufthansa A380 reported that the drone had flown closely over it when the plane was about 5,000 feet up. The FAA immediately notified the Los Angeles Police Department, which is looking for the drone's owner. According to ABC7, the FAA prohibits drones from flying within five miles of an airport or above 400 feet. Officials worry recreational drones could inadvertently cause passenger planes to crash by breaking a windshield, damaging a critical surface, or getting sucked into an engine. (More drones stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X