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Air France A350 Nearly Collides Midair With American A321 After Wrong Turn At LAX
Simple Flying • • business
Key Points:
- Two aircraft from American Airlines and Air France came within 400 feet of vertical separation shortly after departing Los Angeles International Airport, narrowly avoiding a mid-air collision.
- The Air France Airbus A350-900 made an unauthorized left turn after takeoff, deviating from the approved SUMMR2 departure route and entering the flight path of the American Airlines jet.
- Air traffic controllers quickly intervened, instructing both planes to turn away from each other, preventing a potential disaster and allowing both flights to continue safely.
- The incident highlights the critical importance of strict adherence to departure procedures at busy airports like LAX, where complex routing is used to maintain safe separation between aircraft.
- No injuries or damage were reported, but the event echoes a similar near-miss at LAX in 2025 involving pilot deviation and underscores ongoing challenges in managing high-traffic airspace.
