Drone operator to blame for mid-air crash with U.S. Army Black Hawk: report

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- A drone operator has violated multiple regulations, including flying too far away and causing a mid-air crash with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in Sept., which landed safely in New Jersey, U.S. federal officials said on Thursday.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the drone operator's lack of knowledge about aviation safety regulations contributed to the mid-air collision.

The Black Hawk, which was providing security for the United Nations General Assembly in New York at the time, was struck at an altitude of 300 feet by the drone. The helicopter sustained damage but landed safely at Linden Airport in New Jersey. No Army personnel were injured, but the drone was destroyed in the crash.

The investigation showed that the drone pilot, identified as Vyacheslav Tantashov, was flying for recreational purposes and did not require an FAA remote pilot certification. His drone was properly registered with the FAA.

However, Tantashov failed to operate his drone within federal regulations by maintaining visual contact with the aircraft, the NTSB said.

It is unclear if Tantashov will face FAA penalties, which could include fines, from the incident. Enditem