Confused Air France Pilots Make Wrong Turn After Takeoff From LAX, Leading To Close Call

Air France flight 28, an Airbus A350‑900 bound for Papeete, departed Los Angeles International Airport on the early hours of Saturday, November 7, 2026. The aircraft was cleared for a westbound departure via the SUMMR2 procedure, which requires a straight‑ahead climb before any turn. According to Simple Flying, the Air France jet made an unauthorised left turn shortly after takeoff, intersecting the flight path of American Airlines flight 1660, an Airbus A321 heading to Dallas/Fort Worth. The two jets came within 400 feet (121 meters) of vertical separation, a loss‑of‑separation event that could have ended in catastrophe.

Air traffic controllers responded immediately. TurbineTraveller reported that the controller “immediately intervened” and instructed both aircraft to turn away from each other. Simple Flying added that the American flight had been told to stay at 2,000 feet to allow the Air France aircraft to complete its turn and climb to FL270, but the unauthorised maneuver placed the A350 directly in the trajectory of the A321. The controller then questioned the Air France crew about the deviation; the pilots responded “standby” and later “standby one,” according to One Mile at a Time. After the corrective instructions, both planes continued safely to their intended destinations with no reported injuries.

The American flight completed its journey to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, while the Air France A350 proceeded to its destination after the deviation was resolved. An airline spokesperson could not be reached for comment, Simple Flying reported.

The near‑miss adds to a pattern of similar events at LAX. One Mile at a Time highlighted previous unauthorised left turns by aircraft departing runway 24L, including a TAP Air Portugal A330neo and an Air France Boeing 777 in recent weeks, as well as a 2025 incident involving an American and ITA Airways jet. The recurring nature of these deviations has raised questions about pilot compliance with the SUMMR2 departure procedure and the need for additional ATC warnings for runway 24L departures.

Los Angeles International Airport’s departure routes are tightly controlled to keep traffic separated over the Pacific. The SUMMR2 SID directs westbound departures out over the ocean, helping avoid conflicts with other departing and arriving aircraft. By turning left instead of maintaining the prescribed straight‑ahead climb, the Air France crew created a conflict that was only averted through rapid ATC action. No formal investigation details have been released yet, but the incident underscores the critical role of air traffic controllers in preventing mid‑air collisions at one of the world’s busiest airports.