An LAPD pilot altered Air 3’s flight path on Tuesday in a LAPD navy helicopter near miss over Los Angeles after approaching military helicopters came into the aircraft’s path. LAPD Officer Eisenman said the crew changed course in an abundance of caution while circling a call in Echo Park.
The pilot said, "You guys just pushed me out of a spot. I got a suspect hiding. You guys got to pay attention, man. That's ridiculous," and later added, "Gonna ram me over, dude," after the aircraft moved away from the approaching helicopters. Air 3 then returned to its original position once the military helicopter had passed.
Air 3 Over Echo Park
The close call happened while Air 3 was circling a call in Echo Park. CBS Los Angeles footage captured two military helicopters flying over the 101 Freeway in Hollywood near the area where the LAPD aircraft was operating, putting the aircraft in the same airspace over Los Angeles during an active police response.
Eisenman said Air 3 received an alert about nearby aircraft. The police crew spotted a military helicopter approaching and tried to contact its pilots over a shared aviation radio frequency before making the flight change.
Shared Radio Frequency
Police pilots in the area are expected to broadcast their locations on a common radio frequency so other aircraft can stay aware of nearby air traffic. Eisenman said the military helicopter did not respond, and Air 3 changed its flight profile out of caution.
LAPD officials told the station that the military helicopters did not respond to the police pilot’s radio transmissions. That leaves the communication gap at the center of the incident: the LAPD crew tried to alert the approaching aircraft, but got no answer before moving aside.
U.S. Navy Training Exercise
Amelia Umayam said the aircraft were U.S. Navy helicopters doing a training exercise with the U.S. Coast Guard and Los Angeles Police Department on Nov. 3. She also said, "During the exercise, the Navy aircrew were monitoring and communicating on required radio frequencies. We are committed to operating safely with our partners,".
What remains unresolved is why the military aircraft did not respond to the LAPD pilot’s transmissions. For now, the documented result is narrow but clear: Air 3 gave way, the helicopters passed, and the police crew resumed its position over Los Angeles.
