Passengers' terrifying drone close call at Newark

A United Airlines Boeing 737 with 106 passengers nearly struck a drone during landing at Newark Liberty International Airport, prompting renewed concerns about unauthorized unmanned aircraft near major hubs. The pilot of United Flight 1513, departing Key West, Florida, reported the near miss to air traffic control on Friday afternoon, with CNN verifying the ATC audio. The pilot described the drone as circular, about three feet wide, passing roughly 100 feet below the aircraft during the final approach; the Boeing 737 landed safely at about 5:30 p.m. Passengers exited at the gate without incident. Around the same time, a United Express flight operated by GoJet Airlines also radioed a drone sighting at roughly 2,000 feet, above typical legal operating ceilings. The FAA prohibits drones in controlled airspace without authorization, and the agency records about 100 drone sightings per month near U.S. airports.