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UT Health East Texas helicopter involved in 'near-miss' with drone

Police in Dallas are investigating an incident involving a UT Health East Texas helicopter and a drone.

DALLAS — UT Health East Texas is investigating a report of a near miss between one of its helicopters and a drone that happened Sunday night.

An Air 1 helicopter dropped off a patient at Children's Medical Center in Dallas Sunday night.

While in flight, Dallas Love Field's air traffic tower contacted Clint Burleson, the Air 1 pilot, about an incoming 737 aircraft. Keeping an eye out for the plane, Burleson noticed a small object heading their way. He thought it was a bird.

"As we got a little closer we noticed our rate of wasn't closure wasn't like what we would normally see when we're approaching a bird." Burleson said.

Turns out, it was a drone.

"We turned to avoid it and called Love Tower and told them what happened - that we had a near miss." he said.

The drone was just 20-30 feet away from the helicopter at one point. The helicopter was traveling between 100 and 140 mph.

It's something the former Army pilot has never encountered. It's also something he never expected to encounter at 1500 feet in the air.

"I've never seen one that high," he said.

Chief Flight Nurse, Michael Lawyer with UT Health East Texas says other emergency helicopter pilots have also encountered drones in the past but not like this.

"We've never had one that close where we've had to bank the aircraft to miss it. Normally we're usually warned about those things." Lawyer said.

The Federal Aviation Administration created regulations to prevent encounters like this one.

"They're not even supposed to be in Class B Air Space at all. Period." the Chief Flight Nurse said, "They're not supposed to fly higher that 400 feet without notifying the local tower or local flight services for this particular reason. It's a safety issue."

The FAA released this statement:

N913ET REPORTED A DRONE AT 1500FT AS HE WAS EXITING BRAVO AIRSPACE. N913ET REPORTED THE DRONE AT THE SAME ALTITUDE AND STATED THAT HE ALMOST HIT THE DRONE. TEN MINUTES LATER N786DD WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 31R ABOUT 5 MILES OUT AND REPORTED SEEING A DRONE AT 1900FT RED IN COLOR AND SMALL.

Lawyer explains what could've happened if the drone made contact with Air 1

"Besides major damage to the aircraft you're talking about possible loss of life. If it was to strike the rotors, if it was to strike the tail rotors, or even go through the wind screen and hit the pilot, it wouldn't just affect the aircraft and crew, it could affect people on the ground, or gone into another building."

No injuries were reported and Dallas Police are investigating the incident.

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