FAA Investigates Close Call Between National Guard Black Hawk and Passenger Jet

The incident occurred as a United Airlines flight was approaching John Wayne Airport in Southern California.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 5:40pm

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The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a near-miss incident in Southern California between a National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and a United Airlines 737 flight. The two aircraft came within 525 feet vertically and 1,422 feet laterally of each other, triggering a Traffic Collision Avoidance System warning on the passenger plane.

Why it matters

This close call between a military aircraft and a commercial airliner highlights ongoing safety concerns about the integration of military and civilian air traffic, especially as the military conducts more training missions in populated areas. Incidents like this can put passengers at risk and disrupt air travel.

The details

On the evening of March 24, a United Airlines 737 was approaching John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California when a California Army National Guard UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter flew across its path. The two aircraft came dangerously close, triggering a collision avoidance alarm on the passenger plane. The pilots immediately leveled out the plane to avoid a potential mid-air collision.

  • On March 24, the incident occurred as the United Airlines flight was descending to around 2,000 feet to land at John Wayne Airport.
  • The FAA announced it was investigating the close call on March 28.

The players

United Airlines

A major U.S. airline that operates the 737 flight involved in the near-miss incident.

California Army National Guard

The military branch that operated the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that flew across the path of the commercial airliner.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The U.S. government agency responsible for regulating and overseeing civil aviation, which is investigating the close call between the military and commercial aircraft.

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What they’re saying

“The California Army National Guard flight crew was operating under the positive control of air traffic control and followed all instructions. Critically, our pilots established and maintained visual separation with the other aircraft.”

— National Guard Bureau

“Thank you, and we're going to be addressing that, because that was not good.”

— Air traffic controller

What’s next

The FAA is continuing its investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause and circumstances surrounding the close call between the National Guard helicopter and the United Airlines flight.

The takeaway

This near-miss highlights the ongoing challenges of safely integrating military and civilian air traffic, especially as the military conducts more training missions in populated areas. It raises questions about air traffic control coordination, pilot awareness, and the need for robust collision avoidance systems to prevent future incidents that could put passenger lives at risk.