Moments from terror: British Airways plane carrying up to 216 passengers at 3,000ft missed illegal drone by just 60ft while flying over Windsor at 270mph
- This happened after a plane carrying 216 passengers took off from Heathrow.
A British Airways plane flying over Windsor at 270 mph missed the illegal drone by about 60 feet, the report said.
The accident occurred shortly after the B787 Dreamliner, carrying 216 passengers, took off from Heathrow on a flight to Montreal, Canada.
According to a report from the UK Airprox Council, the pilot spotted the drone in the aircraft’s flight path at an altitude of 3,000ft just after 8pm on July 25.
The report said: “It was obvious that although it was very close, the drone would pass below and to their left.” The drone was white, with many supports, but no light.”
The plane reportedly flew approximately 20 feet above the drone and 60 feet horizontally away from it, prompting the pilot to describe the risk of collision as high.
The report classified the incident as a Category A incident where there was a serious risk of collision.
The accident occurred shortly after the B787 Dreamliner, carrying 216 passengers, took off from Heathrow for Montreal, Canada.
Air traffic controllers confirmed that the pilot radioed that “they passed the drone very close on the left side, flying at 3,000 feet.”
The information was relayed to Heathrow’s control tower “so that subsequent flights could be informed of the sighting.”
UKAB, which assesses potential near misses in UK airspace, concluded: “In the Council’s view, the reported altitude and/or description of the object was sufficient to indicate that it may have been a drone.
“The panel considered that the pilot’s overall report of the incident reflected a situation in which providence played a significant role in the incident and/or there was a definite risk of collision.”
The altitude at which the drone was flown was more than seven times the normal maximum altitude allowed for devices of 400 feet.
Air traffic controllers confirmed that the pilot radioed that “they passed the drone very close on the left side, flying at 3,000 feet.”
Most drones have software that limits their maximum height, but this can be bypassed with patches purchased online.
The drone is believed to have been flown by someone attempting to capture dramatic video of the airliner’s flight.
Aviation experts have long warned of the risk of drones damaging cockpit windows or jet engines, with potentially catastrophic consequences.
The drone operator involved in the incident could have been jailed for up to five years for endangering an aircraft if he had been caught, but it is believed he has never been found.
A British Airways spokesman said: “We take such matters very seriously and our pilots report incidents so that the authorities can investigate and take appropriate action.”