Initially Mistaken for a Drone, Object Eludes Investigators

A British Airways flight to New York was climbing over Guildford in Surrey when the pilot spotted a bright, metallic object hurtling toward the plane from the opposite direction. The incident occurred in broad daylight on June 24, shortly after takeoff from Heathrow. The Boeing 777 was carrying 256 passengers and crew members.

Object Passed Close to the Plane’s Wing

In the pilot’s report, published in an AOL article, the object was said to have passed as close as 15 meters (about 50 feet) above the aircraft, near its right wing. The pilot immediately reported it to London air traffic control. The crew described the object as about the size of four toasters. At first, they thought it was a drone that had strayed off course.

Committee: Object Could Not Be Identified

The UK Airprox Board, which investigates near-misses in British airspace, classified the incident as a serious safety concern. It said the object could not be identified based on its altitude and the description, and that the collision was avoided partly through luck. The board said there had been a genuine risk of collision. Investigators could not explain the object’s appearance or altitude.

Other Incidents Over Britain

The Sun reported that a few days earlier, another flight descending toward Heathrow had passed very close to a dark object, and the pilot ducked, fearing it would hit the aircraft. Months earlier, the paper reported, a senior Royal Air Force pilot was stunned when an object passed his aircraft during a high-altitude refueling operation.

The plane continued its flight and landed at New York’s JFK Airport after eight hours, with no injuries.