Pilot reports hitting drone while landing at JFK International Airport

The air traffic control tower rises above terminals at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, April 20, 2010.

A JetBlue pilot reported hitting a drone as he approached JFK International Airport to land in New York Monday morning.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident that happened as the plane passed through 3,000 feet (914 metres) around 7:15 a.m. as it was crossing the coastline. The plane landed safely without any additional help, and no damage was found when the plane was inspected afterwards.

“We collided with a drone back there in the turn,” the pilot told an air traffic controller, according to ATC.com. “It hit us right above the cockpit.”

The airline said all the passengers deplaned normally, and then the plane was removed from service so it could be inspected. JetBlue said the airline “found no damage or evidence of a collision.” The Airbus A321 plane was flying overnight into New York from Las Vegas.

“Safety is JetBlue’s first priority, and we will assist with any relevant investigations,” the airline said in a statement.

Drones are generally allowed to fly below 400 feet (122 metres), but the FAA does restrict airspace around airports and public events like the World Cup because of safety concerns. Law enforcement officials say that even when a drone pilot is just trying to shoot an overhead video, their presence distracts officers from dealing with other potential threats.

Incident reports collected by the FAA show that drones are a growing threat around airports. The risk of a collision is most acute near airports because that is where the flight paths of drones and airplanes most overlap.

The FAA said that more than 100 drone sightings are reported near airports every month that the agency works with law enforcement to investigate. Drone operators that violate restricted airspace can face substantial fines and even lose their license or have their drones confiscated.

The death and destruction drones have caused on the battlefields of the Ukraine and Iran wars has officials increasingly concerned about the threat drones pose.

Sometimes an initial report from an airline pilot about a close encounter with a drone doesn’t always turn out to be an actual collision after officials investigate. In April, the FAA was able to determine that a drone passed roughly 1,000 feet (305 metres) below a United Airlines plane as it came into San Diego and did not strike the plane.

Josh Funk, The Associated Press