A spate of loss of separation incidents, like the recent Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 and Hawker Hunter encounter over California, have raised questions about aviation safety.
These close calls, often involving the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), highlight the delicate balance between human judgment, technology, and air traffic control (ATC) procedures.
We look into what’s driving these incidents and whether current safety measures are keeping up with the demands of modern aviation.
The Southwest-Hawker Hunter Incident
On July 25, 2025, Southwest Airlines Flight 1496, a Boeing 737, took off from Hollywood Burbank Airport en route to Las Vegas.
Six minutes into the flight, at around 14,100 feet, the pilots received a TCAS alert, prompting a rapid 475-foot descent to avoid a Hawker Hunter Mk.58, a retired military jet flying from El Paso to Point Mugu.
The planes were at similar altitudes but not on a collision course, yet their proximity triggered the TCAS, which issued both climb and descent instructions.
The sudden maneuver injured two flight attendants, one seriously, and left passengers rattled, with some later describing the dive as “terrifying”.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating, focusing on why the aircraft were so close and whether ATC procedures contributed.
The American pilots’ evasive action inadvertently brought them closer to a third aircraft, requiring urgent ATC intervention. All planes landed safely, but the event underscored vulnerabilities in airspace management.
A String of Loss of Separation Incidents
The recent loss of separation incident isn’t isolated. Several notable incidents have been recorded this year. Here are just three examples:
July: Delta E175 & USAF B52
On July 18, 2025, a Delta Connection E175 regional flight narrowly avoided a collision with a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress while approaching Minot International Airport (MOT) in North Dakota.
March: Delta A319 & USAF T-38A
In March 2025, a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 and a U.S. Air Force T-38A Talon jet were involved in a loss of separation incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
The incident, which occurred on Friday, 28 March around 3:15 p.m. Eastern Time, saw the Delta flight’s Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System issue a resolution advisory (RA).
January: United B737 & Delta A330
Another loss of separation was reported in January 2025. This involved a United Airlines B737-900, operating as flight UA1724 and a Delta Air Lines A330-300, operating as flight DL1070. The incident occurred as they approached Phoenix to land around 1100 local time on Saturday 11 January.
Both aircraft appear to have been making approaches to runway 08 Phoenix Sky Harbor when the loss of separation occurred.
Why Are Near-Misses Happening?
Several factors contribute to these close calls. First, crowded airspace, especially near busy airports like Burbank and Austin, increases the risk of aircraft converging.
The Southwest-Hawker incident occurred in a region with intersecting flight paths, complicated by the presence of a military-style aircraft operating under different regulations.
Second, human error remains a persistent challenge. Recently, there have been concerns over ATC lapses about ATC lapses, with one user claiming the incident was a “screw-up” by controllers.
While the FAA hasn’t confirmed this, past incidents, like a February 2024 near-collision in Austin between a FedEx 767 and a Southwest 737, pointed to controllers’ incorrect assumptions as a cause.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) noted that the FedEx crew’s quick action, prompted by visual cues and TCAS, averted disaster.
Third, the integration of diverse aircraft types—commercial jets, private planes, and military relics like the Hawker Hunter—complicates airspace management.
Older aircraft may lack modern TCAS versions, reducing coordination with newer systems. In the Southwest incident, the Hawker Hunter’s presence in commercial airspace raised questions about why it was so close to a passenger jet.
Collision at Washington DCA: American CRJ700 & Army Black Hawk
The aviation world was rocked on January 29, 2025, when American Eagle Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ700, collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
This collision, the deadliest U.S. air disaster since 2001, underscores the unique challenges of DCA’s congested airspace.
The airport’s proximity to restricted zones and frequent military helicopter activity creates a complex environment.
Eyewitnesses reported the jet banking sharply with “streams of sparks” before impact, suggesting a last-second evasive maneuver.
The Black Hawk, lacking TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) unlike commercial jets, relied on pilot visibility and ATC guidance, both of which failed to prevent the tragedy.
Compounding the issue, a single controller was managing both helicopter and airplane traffic—a “not normal” staffing situation for DCA’s busy airspace, typically handled by two controllers.
The Role of TCAS and Safety Systems
TCAS is a critical safety net, designed to prevent mid-air collisions by issuing resolution advisories (RAs) that pilots must follow within five seconds.
In both the Southwest and American incidents, TCAS worked as intended, alerting pilots to take evasive action. However, the system isn’t foolproof. In the Austin case, the American 737’s response to a TCAS RA brought it closer to another plane, showing how complex scenarios can strain even advanced technology.
The FAA has invested heavily in safety, with initiatives like a $100 million program to reduce runway incursions at major airports.
Yet, incidents like these suggest gaps remain, particularly in managing mixed aircraft types and busy airspace. The NTSB has also flagged issues, such as inadequate separation between helicopter routes and commercial flight paths near Reagan National Airport, where the mid-air collision killed 67 people.
Are Current Measures Enough?
While aviation remains remarkably safe—runway incursions have trended downward since 2021—these near-misses are a wake-up call.
The FAA’s ongoing audits of airlines like Southwest and its “safety call to action” show commitment, but staffing shortages and controller fatigue persist as concerns.
To address these issues, the FAA could enhance TCAS coordination for older aircraft, improve ATC training for mixed airspace, and expand ground surveillance systems to more airports. Public transparency about investigations could also rebuild trust.
Loss of separation incidents remind us that aviation safety is a delicate interplay of technology, human skill, and robust regulatory oversight.
While TCAS and FAA protocols prevent most collisions, the increasing complexity and congestion of airspace demands constant vigilance. A preparedness to enact airspace procedures and restrictions, such as those introduced reactively after the Washington DCA tragedy becomes critical.
As air travel grows, so must the proactive commitment to closing these gaps—before a close call becomes another tragedy.
