FAA investigating close call between passenger jet, Army helicopter in California

## Summary
United Airlines Flight 589 was on its way to John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif., on Tuesday around 8:40 p.m. when a Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter crossed its path. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined the air traffic system’s “ overreliance on visual separation in order to promote efficient traffic flow without consideration for the limitations of the see-and-avoid concept” was one of the multiple factors that led to the January 2025 collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane near Reagan Washington National Airport. Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email More News News See All House After rejecting Senate deal, House passes short-term DHS funding bill by Mike Lillis and Sudiksha Kochi 5 hours ago House / 5 hours ago Senate Fetterman: ICE officers seem to have ‘enhanced some kinds of performance’ at airports by Ryan Mancini 5 hours ago Senate / 5 hours ago Defense Iranian attack injures 10 Americans on base in Saudi Arabia by Ryan Mancini 6 hours ago Defense / 6 hours ago House Democrats demand answers on sanctioned Russian lawmakers visiting Capitol by Ryan Mancini 8 hours ago House / 8 hours ago See All Video/Hill.TV See all Hill.TV See all Video THE HILL TV Rising: March 27, 2026 by TheHill.com 03/27/26 12:06 PM ET THE HILL TV / 17 hours ago THE HILL TV Rising: March 26, 2026 by TheHill.com 1 day ago THE HILL TV / 2 days ago THE HILL TV Rising: March 25, 2026 by TheHill.com 2 days ago THE HILL TV / 3 days ago See all Hill.TV See all Video Top Stories See All House After rejecting Senate deal, House passes short-term DHS funding bill by Mike Lillis and Sudiksha Kochi 5 hours ago House / 5 hours ago See All Most Popular Fetterman: ICE officers seem to have ‘enhanced some kinds of ... Judge asked to take Trump name off Kennedy Center House GOP rejects Senate-passed DHS bill, proposes stopgap Senate agrees to fund TSA and most of DHS, but not ICE Trump rejects Senate-passed Homeland Security funding bill Live updates: House tees up vote on DHS stopgap after rejecting Senate ...

## Article Content
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FAA investigating close call between passenger jet, Army helicopter in California
by
Tolu Talabi
- 03/27/26 4:47 PM ET
by
Tolu Talabi
- 03/27/26 4:47 PM ET
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a helicopter that crossed in front of a commercial plane in California, the agency said in a statement.
United Airlines Flight 589 was on its way to John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif., on Tuesday around 8:40 p.m. when a Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter crossed its path. The aircraft were 525 feet apart vertically and 1,422 feet laterally,
according to the flight tracking site Flightradar24
.
“During final approach to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, pilots on United flight 589 were advised by air traffic control to watch for a military helicopter flying near the airport. They saw the helicopter, and also received a traffic alert, which they responded to by leveling the aircraft,” United Airlines said in a statement, according to The Associated Press.
Six crew members and 162 passengers were on the plane while the helicopter was returning to base after conducting routine training and was in communication with air traffic control, AP reported. They did not collide.
The close call came days after the FAA
suspended the use
of visual separation between airplanes and helicopters and mandated that air traffic controllers use radar to “actively manage these aircraft to keep them separated at specific lateral or vertical distances,” according to a statement by FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
The practice of visual separation is when air traffic controllers advise pilots about nearby aircraft and allow them to manage their own way in the air and rely on their sight to avoid collision. The FAA said it was investigating whether visual separation was used during Tuesday’s incident, according to AP.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined the air traffic system’s “
overreliance on visual separation
in order to promote efficient traffic flow without consideration for the limitations of the see-and-avoid concept” was one of the multiple factors that led to the
January 2025 collision
between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane near Reagan Washington National Airport.
All 60 passengers, two pilots and two flight attendants on American Airlines flight 5342 were killed, along with the three crew members on the Army Black Hawk helicopter.
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### Implications
- This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
- Senate Democrats defeat amendment to require photo ID to vote Montana Senate candidate says he will introduce bill to draft Graham if elected After rejecting Senate deal, House passes short-term DHS funding bill Democrats demand answers on sanctioned Russian lawmakers visiting Capitol Bannon at CPAC warns Iran war just starting: 'Your sons, daughters ... could be ...

### Expert Commentary
This article covers ago, house, senate topics. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 844.