The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported this Thursday, 26, that it is investigating a near collision between a United Airlines commercial plane with 168 people on board and a Black Hawk military helicopter. The near accident occurred near John Wayne Airport, in Santa Ana, California, last Tuesday, 24th.
According to the FAA, the incident occurred around 8:40 pm local time. The helicopter crossed the plane’s flight path, fortunately without hitting it. On board the commercial plane were 162 passengers and six crew members.
According to the American federal agency, one of the questions assessed in the investigation is whether a recent measure that prohibits pilots from maintaining the distance between aircraft solely based on vision, without the aid of instruments, in areas close to large airports was violated.
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O Flightradar24a flight tracking website, reported that the aircraft were up to 160 meters apart vertically.
The California Army National Guard said it will also “review” the incident, in coordination with other appropriate agencies. The entity confirmed that the helicopter involved in the incident belongs to it and is located at the Los Alamitos Joint Training Base. The helicopter was returning to the airfield after a routine training mission and was in communication with air traffic control.
United Airlines, for its part, reported that Flight 589 departed from San Francisco and was warned by air traffic control to be alert for a military helicopter flying near the airport. After spotting the helicopter and receiving an alert, the pilots reacted by leveling the aircraft and later landing safely.
A mid-air collision between a commercial plane and a helicopter occurred in the United States in January 2025. The accident, also between a commercial jet and a Black Hawk, caused 67 deaths.
