United Flight Narrowly Avoids US Military Helicopter in California
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation after a United Airlines flight came perilously close to a US military helicopter near John Wayne airport in southern California. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening, forced the pilots to take evasive action to prevent a potential collision.
Details of the Close Call
At approximately 8:40 PM on Tuesday, a United flight with 162 passengers and six crew members was on its final approach to John Wayne airport in Orange County. According to the FAA, a military Black Hawk helicopter, returning from a training mission, crossed into the plane's path. The pilots received a collision avoidance alarm and promptly leveled off the aircraft, halting their descent to avoid the helicopter.
Data from FlightRadar24 indicates that the United plane came within 525 feet vertically and 1,422 feet laterally of the helicopter at their closest point. This near miss has raised serious concerns about air safety protocols, especially in light of recent regulatory changes.
FAA Investigation and Regulatory Context
In a statement released on Friday, the FAA confirmed it is investigating whether new rules implemented earlier in March were properly applied during the incident. These rules, introduced after a fatal 2025 crash involving an American Airlines jet and an army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington DC, require air traffic controllers to actively use radar to direct helicopters and planes around airports nationwide.
The 2025 crash, which resulted in 67 fatalities, was the deadliest on US soil in over two decades and led to increased scrutiny of flight paths and collision avoidance measures. The FAA's new policy aims to reduce reliance on pilots visually spotting other aircraft, a method that failed in the Washington incident.
Responses from Involved Parties
United Airlines issued a brief statement confirming the details of the Tuesday event. "During final approach to John Wayne airport, pilots on United flight 589 were advised by air traffic control to watch for a military helicopter flying near the airport. They saw the helicopter, and also received a traffic alert, which they responded to by leveling the aircraft," the statement read.
Archive recordings from the John Wayne airport traffic control tower, accessed via LiveATC.net, reveal that moments after the close call, a controller inquired if the pilot had received any reference to the helicopter or altitude restrictions. The pilot responded that he had received a "resolution advisory", the most severe type of collision avoidance alarm generated by the plane's anti-collision software. The air traffic controller acknowledged the seriousness, stating, "We're going to be addressing that, because that was not good."
A spokesperson for the California National Guard confirmed that the helicopter was based at Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos and had been conducting routine training before returning to base at an assigned altitude while in communication with air traffic control. It remains unclear whether any temporary flight restrictions were imposed following the incident.
Broader Implications for Air Safety
This near miss comes just two days after a separate incident at LaGuardia airport in New York, where an Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck on a runway, resulting in the deaths of both pilots. These events highlight ongoing challenges in aviation safety and the critical need for effective regulatory enforcement.
The FAA's investigation will focus on whether the new radar-based directives were followed and if additional measures are necessary to prevent similar close calls in the future. As air traffic continues to increase, ensuring robust collision avoidance systems remains a top priority for authorities and airlines alike.
