FAA Probes Near Miss Between United Airlines Jet and Black Hawk Helicopter

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a near collision involving a United Airlines passenger jet and a California National Guard Black Hawk helicopter at John Wayne Airport. On Tuesday evening, as United Flight 589 was landing, a collision avoidance alarm was triggered when the helicopter, flying under the callsign Knife 25, crossed in front of the jet. The two aircraft were reported to be 525 feet apart vertically and 1,422 feet laterally at their closest point. This incident raises concerns about air traffic safety, especially following a previous fatal accident involving a Black Hawk and a regional jet in 2025. The FAA has recently mandated that air traffic controllers actively track helicopters in busy airport flight paths to prevent such occurrences.

Key Details: • Incident occurred on Tuesday evening during United Flight 589's landing approach. • Helicopter was on a routine training mission, returning to Los Alamitos airfield. • FAA is conducting a thorough investigation into the incident. • Recent FAA order requires active radar tracking of helicopters near busy airports.