FAA Investigates Close Call Between United Airlines Jet and Black Hawk Helicopter
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is looking into a recent near-miss involving a United Airlines plane and a Black Hawk helicopter at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, on Tuesday night.
During its landing approach, United Airlines Flight 589 encountered a Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter that crossed its path around 8:40 p.m., according to the FAA.
A representative from United Airlines mentioned that air traffic control had alerted the flight crew about military helicopters nearby. The pilots spotted the helicopter and received traffic alerts, prompting them to level off the Boeing 737-800 to ensure safety. Ultimately, the aircraft landed without any reported injuries.
The airline confirmed that there were 162 passengers and six crew members aboard the flight, all of whom were unharmed.
Audio from air traffic control indicated that United Airlines was close enough to the Black Hawk for its avoidance system to issue a warning. The pilots received a so-called “resolution advisory,” signaling a potential collision was imminent.
When questioned by the air traffic controller about whether they had received a call regarding the helicopter or any altitude restrictions, the pilot confirmed obtaining a resolution advisory. The controller expressed concern, stating, “It was not a good thing, so we will deal with it.”
The military has yet to respond to inquiries about the incident.
In response to this close call, the FAA announced on Thursday that it will investigate whether new regulations aimed at preventing reliance on visual separation for aircraft and helicopters were implemented. This new measure was introduced following a review after a fatal crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport last year.
The FAA’s General Notice requires air traffic controllers to manage aircraft using radar rather than visual separation to maintain specific distances.
Earlier in January 2025, another tragic accident occurred when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided mid-air with an American Airlines passenger plane near DCA, resulting in the deaths of 64 people on board the civilian aircraft and three crew members from the helicopter.
This latest incident happened just days following another concerning event at LaGuardia Airport, where an Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck on the runway, leading to the deaths of two pilots onboard.
