FAA Probes United 737-Black Hawk Near Miss at John Wayne Airport

Aviator News Network — The Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday it is investigating a close encounter between a United Airlines Boeing 737-800 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California. The incident occurred Tuesday, triggering a Traffic Collision Avoidance System alert that forced the commercial flight to level off just seconds before a potential collision.

Investigation Focus

The FAA review will examine whether controllers followed a new rule implemented March 18 mandating radar separation for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. This safety measure was enacted following a fatal January 2025 mid-air collision near Washington National Airport. The Black Hawk was conducting routine training from Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos when it crossed the United flight's path at approximately 1,425 feet while the airliner descended through 2,000 feet.

Incident Details

According to Flightradar24 data, vertical separation at the closest point measured 525 feet with lateral distance of 1,422 feet. The United crew received the TCAS alert while approaching Santa Ana and successfully maintained altitude rather than continuing descent. All 162 passengers and six crew members landed safely three minutes later without injury. Aviation safety experts noted the incident raises concerns about recent regulatory changes but confirmed pilot response and avoidance systems functioned correctly.