Two commercial aircraft belonging to Air France and American Airlines came within 400 feet (121 meters) of each other during departure from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) early Saturday morning. The close call was averted by quick actions from air traffic control and the pilots on board, according to Simple Flying.
Unauthorized Turn Causes Conflict
The incident involved Air France flight 28, an Airbus A350-900 bound for Papeete in French Polynesia, and an American Airlines jet flying to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The Air France plane had been cleared to take off via the SUMMR2 procedure, which requires aircraft departing from Runways 24L/R and 25L/R to fly straight out over the Pacific Ocean with a minimum climb rate of 500 feet per nautical mile up to 640 feet.
According to reports from TurbineTraveler on X, the Air France pilot made an unauthorized left turn shortly after departure instead of continuing straight as instructed. This deviation placed the widebody jet directly in the trajectory of the American Airlines aircraft, which had departed from Runway 25R. The American jet was initially told by air traffic control to maintain an altitude of 2,000 feet to allow the Air France plane to turn and climb to flight level 270.
The conflicting flight paths created a dangerous situation where the two planes nearly collided. Promptly identifying the conflict, air traffic control issued immediate instructions for both crews to turn away from each other. The controller then queried the Air France crew to understand the miscommunication regarding departure instructions and the deviation from the instructed flight path.
Safe Arrival and Airport Procedures
Both aircraft were able to continue safely onto their intended destinations with no reported injuries or harm to anyone on board. The SUMMR2 procedure is designed to separate westward-bound aircraft from other traffic by directing them over the water toward destinations in Hawaii, Asia, and the north, such as San Francisco.
Simple Flying reached out to Air France for comment on the incident on Sunday, but an airline spokesperson could not immediately be reached. A similar incident occurred in Los Angeles in 2025, when an American Airlines jet and an ITA Airways jet almost collided mid-air after a pilot deviation from the busy airport.
Flight operations at LAX, one of the busiest airports in the US and globally, are strictly controlled to manage the high volume of traffic. The incident highlights the critical role of air traffic control in maintaining safe separation between aircraft, especially during complex departure procedures.
Source: Simple Flying
