dailyloe.com – A United Airlines flight narrowly avoided a mid-air collision with a US military helicopter near Orange County, California, on Tuesday evening. The Federal Aviation Administration is now investigating the serious incident. It occurred during the passenger jet’s final approach to John Wayne Airport.
The United Flight 589 was carrying 162 passengers and six crew members. It came within a few hundred feet of a Black Hawk helicopter. An onboard alarm directed the pilots to change course immediately.
The military helicopter was returning from a training mission. It crossed into the airliner’s path around 8:40 p.m. local time. The commercial pilots halted their descent and leveled off to prevent a crash.
This near-miss follows a deadly 2025 crash near Washington D.C. An American Airlines jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter then. That accident killed 67 people and prompted regulatory changes.
In March, the FAA instituted a new policy nationwide. It requires air traffic controllers to actively direct traffic using radar. This replaces the old “see and avoid” method for pilots.
The FAA will investigate if the new rule was followed in California. The agency released a short statement confirming the probe. United Airlines also confirmed the details of the Tuesday incident.
The 2025 Washington crash was the deadliest on US soil in decades. It increased scrutiny of flight paths and safety regulations. The new FAA policy was a direct result of that tragedy.
Before the fatal crash, a controller asked helicopter pilots if they saw the jet. The controller then approved letting them avoid it manually. The new system aims to prevent such reliance on visual contact.
Near-miss incidents between commercial and military aircraft remain a critical concern. They highlight ongoing challenges in shared airspace management. Investigations focus on both technology and procedural compliance.[]
Source: The Guardian
