Military helicopter crossed in front of United flight approaching airport: FAA

Key Points:

• A United Airlines Boeing 737 with 168 people aboard experienced a close encounter with a Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter during final approach to John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, on Tuesday evening, with the two aircraft separated by just 525 feet vertically and 1,422 feet horizontally.
• United pilots were alerted by air traffic controllers about the nearby helicopter and received a traffic alert, prompting them to level the aircraft and safely land the plane.
• The helicopter, operated by the California National Guard and conducting a routine training mission, was flying along an established Visual Flight Rules route and also landed safely after the incident.
• The FAA is investigating the incident, including whether the recently implemented measure suspending the use of visual separation between airplanes and helicopters was applied, while the National Transportation Safety Board is monitoring the situation.
• The incident follows recent aviation safety concerns, including a fatal midair collision last year involving a Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial jet near Washington, D.C., which led to FAA policy changes aimed at preventing similar occurrences.