Close Call Between Air France and American Airlines Jets at LAX

Recently, two passenger jets operated by Air France and American Airlines had a close encounter in the skies after departing from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The incident occurred at approximately 12:20 a.m. on November 7. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the Air France aircraft made a turn without clearance, leading to the close call.

According to the FAA, “The crew of Air France Flight 28 made an unauthorized turn after departing Los Angeles International Airport and went into the path of another aircraft that departed from a parallel runway.” Air traffic control intervened to rectify the situation.

The quick reactions of air traffic controllers were captured in audio recordings during the event. Controllers instructed the Air France aircraft, “Air France 028 heavy, fly heading of 270 immediately,” to correct its course. Meanwhile, American Airlines Flight 1660 received a warning of the potential collision. The controller advised, “Traffic alert, traffic 12 o’clock, less than a mile, maintain 2,000,” prompting a response from the American Airlines pilot to adjust altitude.

Air France departed from the north side of Los Angeles Airport on a parallel runway from where an American Airlines aircraft took off, noted Steven Arroyo, an aviation expert. He explained that the Air France plane’s unsolicited left turn brought it perilously close to the American Airlines jet.

Following the close encounter, controllers questioned the Air France crew about their actions. The controller asked, “Air France 028 heavy, you were instructed to climb via SID, not turn to a heading.” The crew then confirmed it was following the SUMMR TWO departure procedure.

Arroyo commended the air traffic controller for swift corrective action, stating, “This was a very dangerous situation and thank goodness, air traffic control was extremely proactive and turned the Air France aircraft heading west before it converged with the American Airlines flight.” He also mentioned that while these incidents are rare, they require careful review since similar events have occurred in past years.

Kelly McGreal, a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital, contributes to travel, food, drink, health coverage, and more. She also produces the weekly American Culture Quiz.