B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Type 989
Distraction
Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
I was the flying pilot departing EWR momentarily level at 15;000 before resuming our ATC climb past Colts Neck (COL) VOR when I saw a bright flash at my 2 o'clock position that caught my attention. I looked over towards the bright and highly reflective object. I tracked the path/trajectory and it appeared to be relatively level traveling opposite direction and below our flight path. It passed below and outside of the right engine nacelle about midway out from the length of the right wing. It was highly reflective and shimmering so I could not get a clear image of it relative size and shape. However; it appeared to be the size of a football with a fairly stable trajectory. I looked back towards the Captain and the jumpseater and said 'did you see that?' The jumpseater said that he did and the Captain indicated that he did not. The jumpseater and I said it looked like or could be a drone. Our assumption. The best I could compare it to visually was a flare with its highly reflective appearance but a smooth (not random or wobbly) level flight path whizzing by us at a consistent speed. I could not see any identify features; such as rotors; paint color; or markings.
B737 First Officer reported a shiny object passed very close to the right engine while level at 15000 ft during an EWR departure.