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American Airlines plane nearly hit by Air France jet after takeoff at LAX
An Air France jet made an unauthorised turn after departing Los Angeles International Airport and entered the path of an American Airlines plane taking off from a parallel runway. Air traffic control issued urgent corrective instructions, preventing the aircraft from converging, and an aviation expert described the encounter as dangerously close.
The incident occurred at about 12.20 am on 7 November. A retired airline captain said the planes came within 400 feet of each other and less than a mile apart; the FAA confirmed that controllers acted immediately but did not provide a distance. The Air France crew later said it had been assigned the SUMMR TWO departure procedure, and the FAA is expected to examine what happened.
In short
- An Air France jet turned into the path of an American Airlines flight.
- Controllers issued corrective instructions to separate the aircraft.
- An expert put the closest distance at 400 feet.
Explained simply
Los Angeles International Airport has several closely spaced runways, including parallel runways used for take-offs and landings. Aircraft leaving the airport follow routes set by air traffic control to keep them clear of other planes.
Air traffic controllers monitor aircraft and give pilots instructions to maintain safe separation. Crews are expected to follow their assigned routes, and an unexpected turn can bring a plane into the path of another aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration oversees civil aviation in the United States and investigates safety incidents. Its review can help establish how the aircraft’s paths came close and whether procedures or instructions need attention.
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