United Airlines A320 Flight Turns Wrong Way After Takeoff, Nearly Collides with SkyWest CRJ-200 in Heart-Stopping San Francisco International Airport Incident, Every Details Here

A terrifying twist unfolded at San Francisco International Airport—and it involved a United Airlines A320, a SkyWest CRJ-200, and one catastrophic wrong way turn. The moment the United Airlines A320 lifted off, no one on board imagined that just seconds later, it would head the wrong way—directly toward another aircraft. But the SkyWest CRJ-200 was already airborne. And as fate would have it, both were flying over the same airspace.

At San Francisco International Airport, things were running normal. That is, until the United Airlines A320 went the wrong way. Instead of turning safely away, it turned dangerously close—veering left instead of right. The SkyWest CRJ-200 never saw it coming. But alarms screamed. Tensions soared. They were just seconds—mere feet—from a mid-air disaster.

Why did the United Airlines A320 go the wrong way? Why was the SkyWest CRJ-200 suddenly forced into evasive action over San Francisco International Airport? Was it pilot error? Was it a system flaw? Was it a controller’s misstep? Or all three?

Passengers aboard the United Airlines A320 and the SkyWest CRJ-200 had no idea they were caught in one of San Francisco International Airport’s most dangerous moments. A heart-stopping, near-fatal mistake.

Now, the world is watching. The skies over San Francisco International Airport have never felt so tense. And the question remains—how did a trusted United Airlines A320 and a routine SkyWest CRJ-200 departure go so horribly, dangerously wrong way?

Keep reading. Every second counts. Every detail matters.

Terrifying Near-Miss at San Francisco Airport: United A320 Turns Wrong Way, Nearly Collides Mid-Air with SkyWest Jet as FAA Launches Urgent Investigation

Panic surged through the skies over San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in what could have become one of aviation’s darkest moments. A United Airlines A320 made a critical wrong turn shortly after takeoff—heading directly into the path of a SkyWest CRJ-200, triggering a harrowing near-collision that has now prompted a federal investigation.

This terrifying incident unfolded around 5:10 p.m., during a high-traffic window when SFO’s parallel runways were handling simultaneous departures. The United jet, operating as Flight UA1152 to Dallas-Fort Worth, was instructed to make a right turn via the TRUKN departure path. Meanwhile, the SkyWest flight to Fresno had clearance for a left turn through a different departure route.

But what came next could have turned deadly in seconds.

A Left Turn Toward Disaster

Instead of turning right, the United aircraft turned left at just 500 feet altitude—directly into the path of the ascending SkyWest aircraft. The result was a dangerous convergence in the skies. The two aircraft came within 1.1 miles horizontally and only 280 feet vertically—a gap terrifyingly close in aviation terms.

This chilling close call forced the SkyWest pilots to take immediate evasive action, their onboard Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) issuing a life-saving alert just in time. What should have been a routine departure spiraled into a high-risk emergency in less than a minute.

What Went Wrong: A Chain of Errors

This wasn’t just a simple pilot mistake. It was a convergence of errors—human, mechanical, and procedural.

The first officer of UA1152, new to departures from SFO, reportedly followed incorrect cues from the aircraft’s Flight Management System (FMS). The automated system guided him left. At a critical moment, automation misled, and human instinct didn’t intervene fast enough.

The captain attempted to correct course, inputting a new heading. But the damage was done—the jet had already veered across airspace meant for the departing SkyWest flight.

Meanwhile, air traffic control compounded the issue. The controller intended to instruct UA1152 to “fly present heading.” Instead, they mistakenly said “fly runway heading”—a miscommunication that layered confusion onto a cockpit already in distress.

FAA and United Respond Swiftly

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an immediate investigation into the incident, probing every detail from ATC audio to cockpit procedures. Both United Airlines and SkyWest Airlines have confirmed full cooperation.

United has also initiated its own internal review, focusing on how system misinterpretation, pilot inexperience, and communication breakdown converged in such a dangerous way.

Although no injuries occurred and the flights proceeded safely, the incident has sent shockwaves across the aviation community—because it was so preventable. And because it came so close.

A Wake-Up Call for the Industry

Aviation is built on layered safety systems—redundancy, communication, and human oversight. But this incident shows how fragile those layers can be when alignment fails.

The narrow miss highlights three critical risks:

• Overreliance on automation: Pilots depending too heavily on the FMS in unfamiliar procedures.
• Controller misstatements: A single incorrect phrase from ATC can cause catastrophic confusion.
• Inexperience under pressure: A new pilot at a busy airport during a complex SID requires sharper oversight.

The FAA’s findings will likely shape future training, both in cockpit procedures and controller communications. This is not just an SFO issue—it’s a global concern for modern aviation.

Airport Procedures Under Scrutiny

SFO’s simultaneous departure procedures, such as TRUKN and SSTIK SIDs, are standard and well-rehearsed. But with tight departure windows and parallel runway operations, margin for error is razor-thin.

This near-miss brings renewed scrutiny to whether airspace management can evolve with rising traffic volumes post-pandemic. Are current standard instrument departures (SIDs) still ideal? Should automation take more or less control in early climbouts?

As travel rebounds and air traffic surges—especially in hub airports like SFO—these questions demand answers. And fast.

Emotional Toll and Traveler Anxiety

While the passengers onboard both flights were unaware of the near-tragedy in real time, the revelation is sparking fresh anxiety among travelers.

The idea that two commercial jets, loaded with passengers, could nearly collide over one of the busiest airports in the U.S. is deeply unsettling. Many are asking: if not for the last-minute TCAS alert, what would have happened?

This is not just a safety story—it’s a human story. Behind every near-miss is a planeload of lives narrowly saved.

The Future of Safer Skies

To prevent another close call, aviation leaders must act now. Enhanced pilot training for departure procedures at complex airports is essential. ATC teams need sharper tools and updated phraseology standards to avoid miscommunication. Flight management systems must be refined to detect deviations faster and more reliably.

Moreover, airports with heavy parallel runway use, like SFO, need to consider operational redesigns or stricter separation requirements. Speed must not come at the cost of safety.

Every near-miss should drive change. This one, just 280 feet from catastrophe, demands it.

Conclusion: A Crisis Narrowly Averted—But the Lesson Must Stick

The incident involving United Airlines Flight UA1152 and SkyWest Flight 5273 will be remembered not for the collision that happened, but for the one that almost did. It’s a stark reminder that in aviation, a few seconds and a few words can mean the difference between life and loss.

While safety systems worked this time, next time they may not. That’s why this event must serve as a turning point for procedural accountability in American aviation—and globally.

The skies above San Francisco almost bore witness to tragedy. Instead, they’ve sparked a renewed focus on what really keeps us safe when we fly.