A Lufthansa flight on final approach to Warsaw nearly hit a drone flying about 100 meters away, according to the Aviation Herald, an Austrian news site.
The site quoted unnamed crewmembers as complaining about Warsaw air traffic control, noting that the staff there should “take care of your airspace… it is really dangerous.”
The Embraer ERJ-195, which was flying at about 760 meters (about 2,500 feet) when it reported the incident, landed without further incident three minutes later.
After the incident was reported, the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency ordered that approach vectors to the airport be changed for over 20 other incoming flights. In a statement (Google Translate), the agency said that military and police aircraft dispatched to the scene were unable to locate the drone.
According to the Associated Press, Warsaw airport spokesman Przemyslaw Przybylski said that drones are in theory banned within a 20km radius from the airport. However, he added, it’s difficult to ensure that “some idiot does not suddenly decide to fly a drone in front of a landing plane.”
The AP quoted Lufthansa spokeswoman Bettina Rittberger as saying that the German carrier has never been involved in such an incident before and that the airline was unable to say with certainty that it was indeed a drone.
Lufthansa officials did not immediately respond to Ars’ request for comment.
