FAA investigating after American Airlines flight makes ‘expedited climb’ to avoid mountain

(NEXSTAR) – The Federal Aviation Administration is currently investigating why an American Airlines flight from Hawaii did not follow an assigned route and was instead forced to perform an “expedited climb” to avoid the terrain in its path, the agency tells Nexstar.

The flight took off from the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, also known as the Hawaii International Airport, shortly before 1 a.m. local time on Wednesday, flight tracking service FlightAware shows. It arrived safely in Los Angeles about five hours later.

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Just after departure, however, air traffic controllers told the flight deck to quickly ascend after the aircraft failed to make a specific turn, the FAA said.

“An air traffic controller instructed American Airlines Flight 298 to perform an expedited climb after the crew did not make the assigned turn while departing from Honolulu International Airport,” the FAA’s statement reads. “The controller’s actions ensured the aircraft remained safely above nearby terrain.”

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American Airlines, in a statement obtained by Nexstar, suggested a different version of events.

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“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,” a spokesperson for the carrier said. “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.”

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The airline added that the safety of passengers and crew is a “top priority.”

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The Daniel K. Inouye International Airport is located on the southeastern coast of O’ahu, with the Waiʻanae mountain range on the western portion of the island and the Koʻolau mountain range to the east.

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CNN, citing flight tracking data, reported that the departing plane cleared nearby mountain peaks by approximately 1,500 feet.

The FAA is currently investigating the incident.

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