A man's facing investigation after a remote controlled airplane came close to colliding with a passenger jet over Perth Airport.

Video taken from a camera, thought to be attached to the model plane, shows how near it came to the real aircraft.

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It's thought the man flying the remote control device could face criminal charges.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has told thewest.com.au that they are investigating.

It's believed a key part of their inquiries will concern the video footage.

Reports suggest the model came within a few seconds of colliding with the 737 jet, during the mishap on Friday.

After approaching the plane, the toy aircraft then plunged to the ground.

The event was initially posted on YouTube, but has since beeen removed. Enthusiasts are thought to be furious over the stunt.

Severe damage could have been caused to the 737 plane if the model had been sucked into the jet's engines, according to reports.

If it had struck the cockpit, it could have cracked the jet's windshield.

Virgin Blue was reportedly contacted by police over the incident but an inspection of the aircraft did not find any damage.

The airline is quoted as saying that it was "aware of an alleged incident" and "strongly supported authorities using the full extent of the law to deal with individuals who have the stupidity and wilful intent to operate a model aircraft in close proximity to a live operational airport."