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SANTA ANA, Calif. - Federal Aviation Administration officials are investigating a close call between a jet and a military helicopter at John Wayne Airport in Orange County this week.United Airlines Flight 589 was inbound to the airport in Santa Ana when a Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter crossed its path about 8:40 p.
m. Tuesday, according to FAA spokesman Ian Gregor.FAA officials are investigating, 'including whether a new measure to suspend the use of visual separation between airplanes and helicopters was applied,' Gregor said.According to air-traffic control audio obtained by CBS News, the pilot of the United flight confirmed that it had received a 'resolution advisory' warning about the helicopter.United issued a statement saying the flight crew 'saw the helicopter, and also received a traffic alert, which they responded to by leveling the aircraft.'The plane, with 168 people aboard, then landed safely.Concerns about the intermingling of commercial airline and helicopter traffic near airports has been a growing topic of conversation in the industry following the January 2025 mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed 67 people.During a hearing on that crash in January, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said she has heard from airline officials regarding their concerns about helicopter traffic, pointing specifically to Hollywood Burbank Airport as a location of concern.Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc.
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