Near Miss Over California Prompts Probe Into Air Traffic Control

A close call between a California National Guard UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter and a United Airlines Boeing 737-800 on approach to John Wayne Airport has prompted an FAA investigation. The incident occurred on March 25, 2026, when the Black Hawk crossed in front of the 737-800, triggering a TCAS RA and prompting the pilots to level off. The flight landed safely, but the incident has raised concerns about air traffic control procedures and the management of helicopter-airliner conflicts. The FAA is examining whether its recently introduced policy on visual separation was properly applied, as reported by AeroTime.