United flight reports close call with drone near San Diego landing

A United Airlines Boeing 737 carrying 54 people landed safely at San Diego International Airport after the crew reported a possible drone during the approach, an encounter that exposed how quickly unauthorized aircraft can enter a landing path and how little time exists to identify who is flying them.

United Flight 1980 had departed San Francisco International Airport and was descending into San Diego on April 29, 2026, when Federal Aviation Administration officials said the crew told air traffic control they believed they saw a drone about 1,000 feet below them while the plane was at about 4,000 feet altitude. Cockpit audio also captured a pilot describing a small red, shiny object and saying the plane had hit a drone at around 3,000 feet, though later reporting clarified that the object had not been confirmed as a drone.

The aircraft, which had 48 passengers and 6 crew members aboard, touched down without incident. United said customers deplaned normally at the gate, and the airline later said its maintenance team found no damage after thoroughly inspecting the aircraft. Air traffic control alerted other pilots in the area but received no additional drone-sighting reports.

The FAA said it is investigating the report. The FBI San Diego Field Office said it was aware of the reports, that there were no safety concerns for the public, and that it was working with law enforcement partners as it evaluated the situation. The episode fits a broader enforcement problem: the FAA says it receives more than 100 drone-sighting reports near airports each month, while private drones are generally supposed to stay below 400 feet. Unauthorized drone operations around airports and aircraft are dangerous and illegal, and operators can face civil penalties, criminal charges and jail time.

The challenge is not just detection, but response. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has said unauthorized drone flights near airports can create safety and security threats and cause delays, while local law enforcement is expected to be first to respond. By the time a report reaches investigators, the drone is often gone, the pilot is unidentified and the aircraft has already landed.

The San Diego scare also comes amid a pattern of higher-profile drone conflicts in California and beyond. A drone collided with a firefighting aircraft during the Palisades Fire in 2025, grounding the plane. In 2020, a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter struck a drone and made an emergency landing, leading to the first U.S. criminal case involving unsafe drone operation. In 2017, a drone collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter near Staten Island, New York, and no one was hurt.