Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Other / Unknown
Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Aircraft; Airspace Structure; Human Factors
During arrival into PHF; we were direct JAWES following a short vector off the DRONE Arrival. About 8 miles from JAWES we were issued a clearance to descend to 4;000 FT. At that moment I saw a target on our TCAS about 4 miles ahead at 4;000 FT. I told ORF Approach about the target and they said they weren't talking to that traffic. The First Officer shallowed the descent rate and we began to look. Then we caught the target visually at 12 o'clock. I first thought it was a hawk circling because it was very small and maneuvering mostly in circles. A few seconds later what we thought looked like a hawk took shape of an aircraft with wings. We were now about 3 miles from the target so we told approach we were going to turn right to avoid hitting the aircraft. As we were turning we got within two and a half miles and same altitude as it went from our 12 o'clock position and for about five seconds it seemed to chase us (by turning into our right turn); before suddenly turning back to our 12 o'clock position. As it passed by our 12 o'clock position again; we observed it flying extremely erratically; in fact so erratically; that we pilots believe it was a drone; due to the excessive g forces required to pull those maneuvers that were almost continuous rolls; loops; etc. It passed by us to the left; and we were then clear of that conflict. We also noticed three Chinook helicopters flying in formation flying below all of us; which were not a factor. I called PHF land-line and they said they could not officially tell us what it was. Due to our airmanship we avoided an RA; however a TCAS TA did occur. Drones are to be flown below 400 FT. This was at 4;000 FT. It demonstrates careless and reckless operation (FAR 91.13) of the drone pilot. If it was a military aircraft and it needs to be maneuvering like that; it needs to be done in a Military Operations Area. MOA's are designed to separate or segregate certain non-hazardous military activities from IFR traffic-not on final approach of a commercial airport.
CRJ200 Captain arriving PHF on the DRONE 1 arrival reports evading a drone maneuvering at 4;000 FT and visible on TCAS.