Frontier Airlines plane nearly collides with trucks at LAX

FAA launches investigation after close call on the ground at Los Angeles airport

Apr. 11, 2026 at 2:48am

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The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation after a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321 plane nearly collided with two trucks on the ground at Los Angeles International Airport this week. The incident occurred as the plane was taking off for Atlanta, with the pilot reporting that the trucks 'cut us off' and they had to 'slam on the brakes to not hit them'.

Why it matters

This near-miss incident at a major U.S. airport raises concerns about ground operations safety and the potential for deadly collisions between aircraft and vehicles, especially in areas that may be blind spots for air traffic controllers.

The details

The Frontier Airlines flight, carrying 217 passengers and 7 crew members, was traveling at a low speed when the two trucks crossed into its path. The pilot reported the close call over air traffic control audio, saying 'it happened so fast' and that it was 'the closest I've ever seen'. Frontier Airlines acknowledged the incident and praised their crew's 'vigilance and professionalism' in avoiding a collision.

  • The incident occurred on Wednesday night, April 10, 2026.

The players

Frontier Airlines

A major U.S. airline that operates the Airbus A321 aircraft involved in the near-miss incident at LAX.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The U.S. government agency responsible for regulating and overseeing civil aviation, which has launched an investigation into the close call at LAX.

Brian Sinclair

An instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy who commented that the air traffic controllers likely didn't see the close call because it occurred in a blind spot at LAX.

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What they’re saying

“We had to slam on the brakes to not hit them.”

— Frontier Airlines Pilot

“It happened so fast. I have to go check on the flight attendants in the back. It was real close, closest I've ever seen.”

— Frontier Airlines Pilot

“We are aware of the incident. No injuries were reported to our passengers or crew. We thank our crew for their vigilance and professionalism.”

— Frontier Airlines

“In this case, there are three specific locations at LAX that ground people in the tower cannot see the taxiways. You could see that that would be a risk.”

— Brian Sinclair, Instructor, U.S. Naval Academy

What’s next

The FAA has launched a full investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause and circumstances surrounding the near-collision, and to identify any necessary safety improvements at LAX to prevent similar close calls in the future.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the critical importance of ground operations safety at major airports, and the need for robust systems and procedures to ensure aircraft and vehicles can safely navigate the complex environments of modern airports. The FAA's investigation will likely result in new guidelines or regulations to address blind spots and improve coordination between air traffic control and ground operations.