An Air France Airbus A350-900 came dangerously close to an American Airlines Airbus A321 after making an unexpected turn shortly after take-off from Los Angeles International Airport. Air traffic controllers were forced to intervene immediately to prevent the situation from escalating.
Los Angeles International Airport has experienced several similar incidents in recent months, involving aircraft departing from Runway 24L making unexpected left turns and coming into close proximity with aircraft departing from the neighbouring Runway 25R. The latest incident occurred shortly after midnight on Saturday, 7 November.
The aircraft involved was an Airbus A350-900 registered F-HUVK, operating Air France flight AF28 from Los Angeles to Papeete, Tahiti. Following its departure from Runway 24L, the crew was expected to continue straight ahead. Instead, the aircraft initiated a left turn at an altitude of approximately 550 metres.
At almost the same time, an American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registered N191UW, had departed from Runway 25R on its way to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The unexpected manoeuvre brought the two aircraft into close proximity.
Air Traffic Control Intervenes
Air traffic controllers recognised the developing situation and immediately issued instructions to both flight crews. The Air France A350 was instructed to turn to a heading of 270 degrees, while the American Airlines crew was told not to climb above approximately 610 metres.
The instructions helped restore separation between the aircraft and resolve the immediate conflict.
According to aviation blog One Mile at a Time, the two aircraft had previously come within approximately 1.5 kilometres of one another. The reason behind the Air France crew’s unexpected left turn remains unclear.
When questioned by air traffic control, the pilots initially responded with “standby”. They were provided with a telephone number to contact regarding a possible deviation from their assigned departure instructions. The flight to Tahiti continued without further reported incidents.
Previous Incidents Involving the Same Runway
The latest occurrence bears similarities to two previous incidents involving departures from Runway 24L at Los Angeles International Airport.
Only a few weeks earlier, an Airbus A330-900 operated by TAP Air Portugal reportedly made an unauthorised left turn shortly after departing the same runway. Several months earlier, an Air France Boeing 777-300ER had also been involved in a similar incident, making an unexpected turn after take-off.
The repeated occurrences have raised questions about why aircraft departing from the same runway have been involved in similar situations. Whether the incidents share common operational factors remains unclear, with the latest occurrence adding to scrutiny of departure procedures at Los Angeles International Airport.
