Possible Drone Strike Damages Mexican Airliner

One big fear in the world of manned aviation these days is for an airplane to collide with a drone. A Grupo Aeromexico crew flying a Boeing 737-800 got the scare of a lifetime as this exact scenario likely happened last week. The commercial airliner flying from Guadalajara to Tijuana appears to have ran into some type of UAS.

According to Bloomberg news, the crew reported a “pretty loud bang” shortly before landing at the Tijuana International Airport. Though images show extensive damage to the nose section of the 737 the commercial airliner landed safely in Tijuana. Local officials are now investigating the cause of the damage.

While it is illegal to fly drones near airplanes, helicopters and airports, and the FAA has launched programs to educate the general public about the use of drones, the agency receives more than 100 reports of such UAS flights each month. If caught, operators are subject to fines and even jail time.