Two Passenger Jets Nearly Collide Over LAX as Pilot Tells Air Traffic Control: “Give Me a Minute”
Two passenger aircraft carrying approximately 500 people narrowly avoided a potential midair collision shortly after departing Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), prompting an urgent intervention from air traffic controllers.
The frightening incident happened around 12:20 a.m. on November 7, when an Air France flight and an American Airlines aircraft took off from parallel runways. During their climb, the Air France jet reportedly made an unexpected turn that brought it into the other aircraft’s flight path.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) later confirmed that the Air France flight had made an unauthorized turn after departure, creating a dangerous situation involving the second aircraft.
Air Traffic Controllers Issue an Urgent Warning
As the two planes continued climbing, air traffic controllers recognized the developing conflict and immediately instructed the Air France crew to change direction.
Audio recordings capture the urgency of the exchange, with a controller warning the pilots that another aircraft was directly ahead and less than a mile away.
“Air France 028 heavy, fly heading of 270 immediately,” the controller instructed, followed by a traffic alert and a warning to maintain an altitude of 2,000 feet.
According to flight-tracking information cited by ABC7, the aircraft were separated by approximately 400 feet vertically and around 4,600 feet horizontally during the encounter.
Although the planes did not collide, the situation required immediate action from air traffic control to prevent the aircraft from getting dangerously close.
Pilot Responds: “Give Me a Minute”
After the immediate danger had passed, the controller questioned the Air France crew about why the aircraft had turned away from its assigned departure route.
The controller reminded the pilots that they had been instructed to follow the published Standard Instrument Departure route rather than turn onto a different heading.
“Why did you turn to a heading?” the controller asked.
One of the pilots initially responded, “Standby,” before adding, “We were… Give me a minute.”
The controller calmly replied, “No problem.”
Another member of the flight crew then offered an explanation, saying they believed they had been instructed to follow the SUMMR TWO departure procedure.
The first pilot subsequently confirmed that this was the route they understood they had been assigned.
The SUMMR TWO departure is a published route used by aircraft leaving Los Angeles International Airport toward the Pacific Ocean.
Controller Warns of Possible Pilot Deviation
The exchange continued after the aircraft were safely separated.
The air traffic controller informed the Air France crew that the incident could be treated as a possible pilot deviation and provided a telephone number for them to contact when ready.
The controller also addressed the American Airlines crew, acknowledging what had happened and apologizing for the unexpected maneuver.
“Sorry about that. That aircraft just turned in front of you,” the controller said.
The recordings reveal how quickly the situation developed and how air traffic controllers worked to prevent a potentially catastrophic accident.
Air France Confirms Course Correction
Air France later confirmed that air traffic control had requested a course correction shortly after the aircraft departed Los Angeles.
According to an airline spokesperson, the crew immediately followed the instructions before continuing the journey.
The aircraft eventually landed safely in Papeete at 5:59 a.m. local time, with no reported collision.
The incident is expected to draw attention to the importance of following assigned departure procedures and maintaining clear communication between pilots and air traffic controllers.
While both aircraft avoided disaster, the close call serves as a reminder of how quickly an unexpected maneuver can create a serious safety concern in busy airspace.