United flight narrowly avoids US military helicopter in California A United Airlines flight carrying 162 passengers and six crew members narrowly avoided a collision with a US military helicopter near John Wayne Airport in southern California, prompting an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The incident occurred around 8:40 p.m. on Tuesday when the military Black Hawk helicopter, returning from a training mission, crossed into the path of the passenger plane. Pilots were instructed to alter their course to prevent a collision, according to FAA officials. The FAA announced on Friday that it was examining the incident, which involved a close call just over a year after a similar crash in Washington, D.C., where an American Airlines jet collided with an army Black Hawk helicopter, killing 67 people. That tragedy had led to increased scrutiny of flight path regulations and safety protocols to prevent such near misses. In March, the FAA revised its policy in response to the 2025 crash, requiring air traffic controllers to actively use radar to guide both helicopters and planes around airports nationwide. Previously, controllers relied on pilots to visually avoid each other. Before the Washington incident, controllers had asked helicopter pilots whether they had seen the plane and allowed them to proceed without further intervention. In the California incident, the FAA stated it would assess whether the new rule was applied. United Airlines confirmed the details of the event in a brief statement, noting that pilots on flight 589 were alerted by air traffic control to watch for a military helicopter near the airport. The pilots spotted the helicopter and responded to a traffic alert by leveling the aircraft.#california #federal_aviation_administration #united_airlines #black_hawk_helicopter #john_wayne_airport
Federal Aviation Administration Investigates Near Miss Between United Airlines Plane and Black Hawk Helicopter in California The Federal Aviation Administration is examining a close call involving a United Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when United Airlines Flight 589, en route from San Francisco, encountered a collision avoidance alarm while preparing to land. The warning was triggered by a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter operating under the callsign Knife 25. According to FlightRadar24, the closest point between the aircraft was 525 feet vertically and 1,422 feet laterally. United Airlines stated that air traffic control had advised the pilots of the Boeing 737 to monitor for a military helicopter near the airport during the final approach. After the alarm activated, the pilots halted their descent and leveled off until the helicopter passed, allowing them to land safely. An air traffic controller’s audio recording, shared by LiveATC.net, included a statement: “We’re gonna be addressing that, because that was not good.” The National Guard confirmed the helicopter was on a routine training mission, returning to its base at Los Alamitos Airfield. The agency noted the aircraft followed an established Visual Flight Rules (VFR) route at an assigned altitude while communicating with air traffic control. A thorough review is underway in coordination with relevant agencies. This incident follows a similar tragedy in January 2025, when a Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, resulting in 67 fatalities—the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in nearly two decades.#federal_aviation_administration #united_airlines #black_hawk_helicopter #john_wayne_airport #national_guard
