United Jet, Guard Helicopter in Near-Miss at OC Airport

A United Airlines passenger jet narrowly avoided a collision with a U.S. Army National Guard helicopter during final approach to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, on Tuesday evening, prompting an investigation by federal aviation officials.

The incident occurred around 8:40 p.m. as United Flight 589, a Boeing 737-800 arriving from San Francisco, descended toward the runway. Air traffic controllers alerted the pilots to watch for a military helicopter operating nearby. The aircraft, a UH-60 Black Hawk from the California National Guard with the callsign Knife 25, crossed directly in front of the jet's path while returning to its base at Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos after a routine training mission.

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the two aircraft were approximately 525 feet apart vertically and 1,422 feet horizontally at their closest point. The jet's collision avoidance system triggered a resolution advisory, an automated alert urging the pilots to take evasive action. In response, the crew leveled off the plane to maintain separation, allowing the helicopter to pass before resuming descent. The flight, carrying 162 passengers and six...