“Es impactante, por decirlo de manera. Obviamente, es extremadamente desconcertante estar pilotando el helicóptero cuando, de repente, aparece otra aeronave que no esperabas ver allí,” expresó Steve Goldsworthy, presidente de la Asociación de Helicópteros del Sur de California (SoCal Rotors).
An Los Angeles Police Department helicopter and a U.S. Navy Sikorsky MH-60 Seahawk nearly collided in midair above Echo Park on the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 3, according to law enforcement officials. The near-miss occurred at approximately 2:00 p.m. local time as the police aircraft was responding to an emergency call, flying at an altitude of roughly 800 feet (244 meters).
Unanswered Radio Calls Above Echo Park
The LAPD helicopter crew received an air traffic alert while flying over the Echo Park neighborhood, spotting the military aircraft as it closed in on their coordinates. Pilots aboard the police chopper attempted to establish radio contact with the naval crew using a common aviation frequency, but received no response from the military aircraft.
An LAPD helicopter pilot was left furious after US Navy helicopters reportedly forced him to abandon his position while searching for a hiding suspect over Los Angeles. The confrontation unfolded on November 3, when LAPD's Air 3 helicopter was circling an active police operation… pic.twitter.com/IAfU1RxF8C
“Cuando el helicóptero militar no respondió en esa frecuencia, la aeronave del LAPD, por precaución, modificó su trayectoria de vuelo. Tras el paso del helicóptero militar, la aeronave del Departamento de Policía de Los Ángeles reanudó su camino,” stated the LAPD in an official release detailing the maneuver.
Military Aircraft Join Local Forces for Training Drills
The U.S. Navy confirmed that its aircraft were participating in a scheduled training exercise alongside the U.S. Coast Guard and the Los Angeles Police Department on the afternoon of Nov. 3. Military officials maintained that the joint drills were designed to improve collective capabilities and interagency coordination.
“El 3 de noviembre, helicópteros de la Marina de los Estados Unidos realizaron un ejercicio de entrenamiento con la Guardia Costera y el Departamento de Policía de Los Ángeles,” the Navy said in a written statement. “Los ejercicios mejoran nuestra capacidad colectiva y la colaboración interinstitucional. Durante el ejercicio, la tripulación de la Marina monitoreó y se comunicó en las frecuencias de radio requeridas. Estamos comprometidos a operar de forma segura con nuestros socios.”
Legacy of the 1966 Dodger Stadium Disaster
The close call unfolded less than a mile from the site of a tragic aviation disaster that occurred on Aug. 30, 1966, near Dodger Stadium. That historical crash involved an LAPD helicopter and a KMPC radio news helicopter, resulting in five fatalities after afternoon sun glare blinded the flight crews.
That 1966 tragedy led to the establishment of SoCal Rotors—originally formed as the Professional Helicopter Pilots Association—and the creation of a dedicated air-to-air radio frequency, 123.025 MHz, known locally among pilots as “02.” Goldsworthy noted that pilots operating outside controlled airport airspace rely heavily on these dedicated frequencies and virtual visual vigilance to prevent airborne disasters.
