An American Airlines flight narrowly avoided a potential disaster on Wednesday when it came close to crashing into the mountains near Honolulu International Airport. The incident occurred shortly after the plane took off from Hawaii, bound for Los Angeles. Air traffic controllers instructed the flight to make an “expedited climb” after it failed to execute an assigned turn.
Flight tracking data showed that the aircraft was about 1,500 feet above the mountain peaks as it flew over the terrain. The FAA is investigating the incident. They said the air traffic controller issued the expedited climb instruction after the aircraft crew did not make the assigned turn following their departure from Honolulu.
The controller’s quick actions ensured the aircraft maintained a safe altitude above the terrain.
Flight’s near-miss over Hawaiian mountains
American Airlines responded to the incident, stating, “During the climb out of Honolulu on November 13, the crew of American Airlines Flight 298 requested and received right-turn clearance and complied with controller instructions.
There was no Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) alert as there were no issues with terrain clearance based on the trajectory of the aircraft.”
The FAA confirmed the incident occurred around 1 a.m. local time and stated that the investigation is ongoing. Audio from the flight, provided by LIVEATC.NET, captures air traffic control directing the pilot to expedite the climb. “Number 298, turn right, expedite your climb through terrain and then turn right through 120,” the controller can be heard saying.
Aircraft tracker FlightAware shows that Flight 298 departed from Honolulu for Los Angeles just after 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The flight path was initially straight, but aviation experts noted that the route should typically take a hard right turn after takeoff. Ultimately, the flight arrived in Los Angeles, seven hours later, without incident.
This incident highlights the importance of communication and vigilance in air traffic management to ensure passenger safety remains the top priority.
