Airliner reportedly hits drone near San Diego International Airport

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KESQ) - The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a report that an airliner appeared to have collided with a drone today -- sustaining no apparent damage -- while on approach to San Diego International Airport.

The pilot of the United Airlines Boeing 737 reported Wednesday morning that the plane hit a drone at about 3,000 feet near the bayside airport, according to a radio transmission posted on ATC.com.

"It was red," the pilot told a flight controller. "It was shiny."  

The crew of the airliner, which was completing Flight 1980 out of San Francisco, went on to safely land in San Diego at about 8:30 a.m., according to United Airlines. A subsequent inspection of the aircraft revealed no damage, the airline asserted in a prepared statement.

The FAA "is aware of the report and is investigating,'' agency spokesperson Cassandra Nolan said.

If the aircraft did strike a drone, its operator was flying it in violation of regulations.

"Pilots cannot operate drones above 400 feet altitude unless they have specific FAA authorization,'' Nolan noted. "Drone pilots also must avoid restricted airspace, including the airspace around airports."