Near-miss at O.C. airport as helicopter crosses United jet's path

"Not good," says air traffic controller after incident at John Wayne Airport

Mar. 26, 2026 at 10:33pm by Ben Kaplan

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A Black Hawk helicopter passed directly in front of a United Airlines passenger jet on Tuesday as the plane was landing at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. The close call occurred around 8:40 p.m. as the United flight from San Francisco was approaching the airport and the helicopter "crossed in front of United's flight path," according to the FAA.

Why it matters

This incident highlights ongoing safety concerns about the potential for collisions between aircraft, especially between commercial airliners and military or private helicopters operating in the same airspace. It comes after a recent FAA policy change aimed at reducing such near-misses by barring air traffic controllers from instructing pilots to visually avoid other aircraft.

The details

The two aircraft were within half a mile of each other horizontally and about 500 feet apart vertically when the near-miss occurred. The United flight was carrying 162 passengers and six crew members. The pilots took action to avoid the helicopter after being advised by air traffic control and receiving a traffic alert. The FAA is investigating the incident, including whether the new policy on visual separation was properly applied.

  • The incident occurred around 8:40 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26, 2026.
  • Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Transportation mandated that air traffic controllers rely on radar to manage aircraft flight paths, rather than instructing pilots to visually avoid other aircraft.

The players

United Airlines

A major U.S. airline that operates the Boeing 747 passenger jet involved in the near-miss incident at John Wayne Airport.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The U.S. government agency responsible for regulating and overseeing civil aviation, including investigating incidents like the near-miss at John Wayne Airport.

Bryan Bedford

The FAA Administrator who announced the new policy change earlier this month, aimed at reducing the risk of mid-air collisions between aircraft.

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What they’re saying

“Today, we are proactively mitigating risks before they affect the traveling public.”

— Bryan Bedford, FAA Administrator

What’s next

The FAA is investigating the incident to determine if the new policy on visual separation between aircraft was properly applied.

The takeaway

This near-miss at John Wayne Airport underscores the ongoing challenges in maintaining airspace safety, especially as military and private aircraft increasingly share the skies with commercial airliners. The FAA's recent policy change aims to reduce such incidents, but this event shows more work is needed to ensure the safety of all aircraft and passengers.