MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 17
Other / Unknown
Conflict NMAC; Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Airspace Structure; Human Factors
I was working all East side sectors combined and the IAH Finals. This was Mid-Shift operation. An air carrier was inbound to IAH from the northeast. I issued an approach clearance and a few minutes later the pilot reported a near miss with an unmanned aerial vehicle. The pilot reported a 3-5 ft tubular aircraft at 8;500 ft passed 'very close' to their aircraft. The pilot called in on the phone later to confirm details and said the UAV was large enough to have taken down their aircraft had they hit it. It was unlit and grey in color. All three people in the cockpit saw it. The co-pilot described it as looking like a fixed wing long aircraft. They continued with the approach and there were no subsequent sightings. I turned off all filtering on my scope and still could not see any returns in the area that could be identified. This occurred within the Class-B airspace.
I90 TRACON Controller reported on an air carrier Flight Crew report of a near miss with a UAV while on approach to IAH.