A drone came dangerously close to a Transavia passenger aircraft approaching Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport today.
The near-miss incident occurred as the Transavia flight was on final approach to land at Schiphol Airport, one of Europe’s busiest aviation hubs today at around 12:10 PM, reported by pilots.
The drone passed within 50 meters of the Transavia passenger jet during its approach phase, when aircraft are at their most vulnerable due to low altitude and limited maneuvering capability. At such close range, the incident could have resulted in serious consequences for the passengers and crew aboard the commercial flight.
Following the dangerous encounter, Schiphol Airport authorities were forced to close Polderbaan runway (18R/36L) for 45 minutes a precautionary measure. Police and a helicopter searched but nothing was found. The runway reopened at 1:00pm.
Schiphol typically handles over 1,500 flights daily, making any runway closure a major operational challenge that affects not only local traffic but connections throughout the European aviation network.
