Volaris El Salvador A320neo Narrowly Avoids Collision at Houston IAH

A potential mid-air collision was narrowly avoided Dec. 18, 2025, at George Bush Intercontinental Airport after a Volaris El Salvador Airbus A320neo turned right instead of left during a simultaneous parallel departure. The aircraft, operating flight N3-4321, was cleared for takeoff from Runway 33L with instructions to turn left to heading 110 degrees. Despite reading back the clearance correctly, the crew initiated a right turn, placing the jet on a direct collision course with a United Express Embraer ERJ-145 (flight UA-4814) departing from Runway 33R.

TCAS Saves the Day

According to ATC audio and radar reconstructions analyzed by aviation experts, including the YouTube channel CaptainSteeeve, the United Express aircraft received a Traffic Collision Avoidance System Resolution Advisory. The ERJ-145 crew immediately disconnected the autothrottle and hand-flew the aircraft to execute evasive maneuvers, restoring safe separation at an estimated altitude of 1,200 to 1,300 feet. No injuries or aircraft damage were reported.

Procedural Concerns

Analysts note that the controller's instruction for a left turn to 110 degrees from a runway heading of 330 degrees required a "long way around" turn of approximately 220 degrees. Experts suggest that such vectors can be error-prone, as pilots and navigation systems may instinctively favor the shorter right turn of 140 degrees. While the Federal Aviation Administration has not publicly confirmed a formal investigation, the incident highlights the critical role of TCAS as a final line of defense in high-density parallel runway operations.