American Airlines plane nearly hit by Air France jet after takeoff at LAX

Air traffic control audio captured the tense moment an Air France jet made an unauthorized turn into the path of an American Airlines flight at LAX recently. An expert weighed in.

American Airlines plane nearly hit by Air France jet after takeoff at LAX

TL;DR

  • An Air France flight made an unauthorized turn after departing LAX.
  • The turn put the Air France jet in the path of an American Airlines flight.
  • Air traffic control issued immediate corrective instructions.
  • The two planes came within 400 feet of each other.
  • An aviation expert described the situation as dangerously close but praised the controller's actions.
  • The FAA is investigating the incident.