NEAR-MISS NIGHTMARE

Two Passenger Jets Nearly Collide Moments After Takeoff

Air traffic controllers were forced into a frantic last-second intervention.

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Two passenger jets narrowly avoided a midair collision moments after taking off from Los Angeles International Airport. The near-miss occurred around 12:20 a.m., when an Air France Airbus A350 bound for Papeete veered into the path of an American Airlines Airbus A321 departing from a parallel runway for Dallas, the Federal Aviation administration told People magazine. Air traffic controllers quickly ordered the Air France crew to change course after spotting the danger, warning that the other jet was less than a mile away. Radio recordings captured a tense exchange as controllers questioned why the Air France pilots had made an unauthorized turn instead of following their assigned departure route. The aircraft were approximately one nautical mile apart, according to FlightRadar24 data. Together, the two jets were reportedly carrying around 500 passengers. Following the incident, controllers flagged a possible pilot deviation and asked the Air France crew to contact authorities. Both aircraft avoided a collision, and the Air France flight continued safely to its destination, landing at 5:59 a.m., an airline spokesperson confirmed to KTLA.