United Flight and Black Hawk Helicopter in Terrifying Near Miss

Audio reveals the two aircraft came dangerously close over California

Mar. 27, 2026 at 10:04am by Ben Kaplan

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A United Airlines passenger flight from San Francisco and a California National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter had a terrifying close call on Tuesday evening as the military aircraft crossed in front of the commercial jet near John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California. Audio from an air traffic controller revealed the two aircraft came within just 525 feet vertically and 1,422 feet laterally of each other, triggering a warning in the Boeing 737's cockpit.

Why it matters

This incident invokes memories of a deadly crash in 2025 between an Army Black Hawk and an American Airlines jet at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed 67 people, one of the worst aviation disasters in 20 years. The FAA has said a thorough review will be conducted to determine what went wrong and how to prevent such near misses in the future.

The details

According to LiveATC.net, a frustrated air traffic controller was heard saying "We're gonna be addressing that, because that was not good" after the close call between the United flight and the California National Guard Black Hawk. The FAA has stated it will investigate the incident in coordination with other agencies to determine the cause and take appropriate action.

  • The incident occurred on Tuesday evening, March 26, 2026.

The players

United Airlines Flight 589

A commercial passenger flight from San Francisco that had a near miss with a military helicopter.

California National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk

A military helicopter that crossed in front of the United Airlines flight, triggering a warning in the cockpit.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The government agency that oversees aviation safety and will be conducting a thorough review of this incident.

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What’s next

The FAA has stated it will conduct a thorough review of the incident in coordination with other agencies to determine the cause and take appropriate action to prevent such close calls in the future.

The takeaway

This near miss between a commercial airliner and a military helicopter raises serious concerns about aviation safety and the potential for catastrophic collisions, especially in light of the deadly 2025 crash between a Black Hawk and an American Airlines jet. The FAA's investigation will be crucial in identifying any systemic issues and implementing changes to improve coordination between civilian and military aircraft.