FAA Investigates Air France and American Airlines Near-Miss at LAX
An unauthorized turn by an Air France jet triggered a midair safety incident.
1Unauthorized Departure Maneuver
On November 7 at 12:20 am, an Air France Airbus A350-900 departed from LAX runway 24L. Shortly after takeoff, the flight crew performed an unauthorized turn, veering into the flight path of an American Airlines Airbus A321-200. The American Airlines jet had simultaneously departed from the parallel runway 25R heading toward Dallas.
2Immediate Controller Intervention
Air traffic controllers identified the conflict and issued urgent corrective instructions to both aircraft. The Air France crew was ordered to fly a specific heading of 270 to correct their course. Simultaneously, controllers instructed the American Airlines pilots to reduce their altitude to ensure adequate separation and avoid a potential midair collision.
3Quantifying the Proximity
Tracking data reveals the severity of the close call between the two commercial jets. Flightradar24 recorded the closest point of approach at 08:17:59 UTC, with 1,285 meters of lateral separation. While vertical separation was reported at 1,000 feet by some data, other tracking accounts suggested the gap narrowed to approximately 400 feet.
4ATC Communication Analysis
Audio recordings from the incident capture the tension in the tower. Controllers explicitly questioned the Air France pilots regarding their unauthorized turn, noting they had been instructed to climb rather than change heading. The controller informed the American Airlines crew that the incident would be treated as a potential pilot deviation.
5Regulatory Investigation Process
The Federal Aviation Administration has launched a formal investigation into the incident. This process typically involves reviewing cockpit voice recordings, flight data parameters, and air traffic control logs to determine why the deviation occurred. Both flights eventually reached their intended destinations, Papeete and Dallas, without any reported injuries or further complications.
6Context of Airport Safety
This event follows other safety concerns at Los Angeles International Airport. Earlier this year, a Frontier Airlines pilot reported having to slam on the brakes to avoid two trucks crossing the runway. Such incidents highlight the operational complexities of managing high-traffic parallel runways where rapid decision-making is required by flight crews.
7Defining Pilot Deviation
In aviation, a pilot deviation occurs when a flight crew fails to comply with an air traffic control instruction. This regulatory term covers a wide range of operational errors, from altitude busts to unauthorized course changes. The FAA uses this classification to categorize incidents for safety analysis and potential enforcement actions against pilots.
8Systemic Safety Implications
The incident underscores the reliance on air traffic control to resolve conflicts in real-time. While automated systems and human oversight prevented a collision, the event serves as a reminder of the narrow margins in busy terminal airspaces. Future safety protocols will likely focus on preventing similar unauthorized departures during parallel runway operations.