The FAA is investigating a recent close call involving a United Boeing 737-800 and a military helicopter.
The agency said United Flight 589 was approaching John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, around 8:40 p.m. local time Tuesday when a California National Guard Black Hawk crossed in front of its flight path. The aircraft’s collision avoidance alarm went off, and the pilots stopped their descent and leveled off until they passed the helicopter, according to United.
Flight data reported by Reuters showed the aircraft were at one point about 525 feet apart vertically.
Recordings of air traffic control communications captured one controller saying, “We’re going to be addressing that, because that was not good.”
The pilots had been advised by air traffic control to “watch out for a military helicopter” operating near the airport, but it was not clear if controllers were actively coordinating with the two aircraft to keep them separated.
The United flight, which was traveling from San Francisco, landed safely at the airport. There were no reports of any injuries.
The California National Guard said the Black Hawk was completing a routine training mission.
“At the time, the aircraft was returning to Los Alamitos airfield along an established Visual Flight Rules (VFR) route at an assigned altitude while in communication with air traffic control,” the reserve force said. “Both aircraft landed safely. A thorough review will be conducted in coordination with the appropriate agencies.”
Separately, the Army said it is aware of the incident and is coordinating with the FAA.
The FAA said it will investigate whether a new rule suspending the use of visual separation between airplanes and helicopters near airports was applied. The order, released earlier this month, was developed in response to the fatal collision of an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk over Washington, D.C., last year. The American CRJ-700 was approaching Reagan National in Virginia when it collided with the helicopter over the Potomac River, killing 67 people.
