The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing a near-miss in Southern California involving a National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and a United Airlines 737.
The incident unfolded Tuesday near John Wayne Airport as both aircraft navigated the same airspace.
Flight data from Flightradar24 shows the two aircraft came within 525 feet vertical and 1,422 feet lateral from each other.
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The close proximity caused the 737 to trigger a Traffic Collision Avoidance System Resolution Advisory, an alarm warning the pilots of the risk of a mid-air collision.
The pilots then immediately leveled out the plane, stopping its descent and the two aircraft continued their separate ways.
“On the evening of Tuesday, March 24, a United Airlines 737 flight was approaching John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California.”
The air traffic environment was demanding, and both crews worked through it with professionalism.
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“The pilots then immediately leveled out the plane, stopping its descent and the two aircraft continued their separate ways.” The near miss prompted a swift exchange of information among controllers, pilots, and the National Guard as the incident proceeded into review.
The National Guard Bureau said in a Friday statement that it was aware of the incident and that it is reviewing Tuesday’s events in coordination with the FAA.
“The California Army National Guard flight crew was operating under the positive control of air traffic control and followed all instructions,” the statement continued. “Critically, our pilots established and maintained visual separation with the other aircraft.”
The California Army National Guard helicopter, callsign Knife25, was based out of Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos in Orange County, just under 20 miles northwest of John Wayne Airport, and was “conducting a routine training mission and returning to its airfield at the time of the report,” according to the National Guard.
The incident in Southern California is the latest close call in the past year involving passenger planes and military aircraft. Last summer, a B-52 doing a fly-by near the North Dakota State Fairgrounds caused a passenger jet to make an “aggressive maneuver” as it tried to land.
Last January, 67 people died in the Washington, D.C. area when a UH-60L from the 12th Aviation Battalion and a passenger jet landing at Washington National Aircraft collided.
The episode comes as President Trump and his team emphasize a relentless focus on American air safety and readiness. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has urged clear, accountable oversight of training missions and rapid, transparent investigations when near-misses occur.
Supporters argue that a strong, prepared force must be matched with rigorous standards for every flight, from the cockpit to the control tower.
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