United Flight Narrowly Avoids US Military Helicopter in California

The near miss occurred as the military Black Hawk helicopter was returning from a training mission and crossed into the United flight's path. Air traffic control instructed the United flight pilots to watch for the helicopter, and the pilots received a traffic alert, which prompted them to level the aircraft.

This incident occurred just over a year after an American Airlines jet collided with an army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington D.C. in 2025, resulting in 67 fatalities. Following that crash, the FAA changed its policy, requiring air traffic controllers to actively use radar to direct helicopters and planes around airports. The investigation will determine whether this new rule was applied in the recent near miss. Recordings from the traffic control tower indicate that the air traffic controller questioned whether the plane’s pilot had been informed about the helicopter or instructed to restrict altitude. The pilot confirmed receiving a “resolution advisory,” the most serious collision avoidance alarm.

A United flight narrowly avoided a collision with a US military helicopter near John Wayne Airport in California.

To determine if proper air traffic control procedures were followed and whether new safety rules were applied.

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