Two Passenger Jets Nearly Collide After Takeoff From Los Angeles Airport in Terrifying Midair Close Call

Two passenger planes narrowly avoided a potential midair collision shortly after taking off from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), prompting urgent intervention from air traffic controllers. The incident involved an Air France flight heading to French Polynesia and an American Airlines flight bound for Texas, which suddenly found themselves on dangerously converging flight paths.

The close call happened at approximately 12:20 a.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2026. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Air France Flight 28 made an unauthorized turn shortly after departing LAX and entered the path of another aircraft that had taken off from a parallel runway. The American Airlines plane, Flight 1660, was also climbing after departing for Dallas-Fort Worth.

Air traffic controllers quickly recognized the developing danger and issued urgent instructions to both crews. The Air France pilots were ordered to immediately change their heading to 270 degrees, while the American Airlines crew was warned that another aircraft was less than a mile away and instructed to maintain an altitude of 2,000 feet. Recordings of the radio communications captured the tense exchange as controllers worked to separate the two aircraft.

After the immediate danger had passed, controllers questioned the Air France crew about why the plane had turned instead of following its assigned departure procedure. When asked to explain which route they were following, one pilot responded, “Give me a minute.” Another crew member later confirmed that they had been following the SUMMR TWO departure procedure. The controller subsequently informed the crew that the incident could involve a possible pilot deviation.

Flight-tracking information suggested the aircraft came within less than one nautical mile horizontally, with estimates placing their vertical separation at roughly 300 to 400 feet. The precise closest distance has not been officially established. Despite the frightening encounter, both aircraft continued their journeys safely, and no injuries were reported.

Air France later confirmed that its Flight 28 crew had received a request from air traffic control to adjust the aircraft’s flight path shortly after takeoff. The crew followed the instructions, and the plane landed normally in Papeete at 5:59 a.m. local time. The FAA’s investigation is ongoing, and the reason behind the unexpected turn has not yet been determined. The incident has renewed attention to the importance of precise communication and strict adherence to departure procedures at one of the busiest airports in the United States.

Source: PEOPLE