An investigation has been launched by the Federal Aviation Administration into the circumstances leading an American Airlines flight to initiate an "expedited climb" to steer clear of mountainous terrain after departing from Honolulu. According to a release provided by the FAA, cited by KHON2, American Airlines Flight 298 was instructed by air traffic control to ascend rapidly after it missed a required turn leaving Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
Despite the near miss, the flight proceeded safely to Los Angeles, landing approximately five hours later. Complicating matters, a separate account by American Airlines relayed to KHON2 suggests that the crew had indeed requested and received approval for a right turn and maintained compliance with 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," an airline spokesperson stated, affirming passenger and crew safety as an utmost priority.
Hawaii News Now has reported on released audio that recorded an air traffic controller's stress-infused directive: "Number 298 turn right, expedite your climb through terrain and then turn right through 120." FlightAware data supports that a significant right turn is a standard part of the takeoff procedure, one devised to ensure safe passage away from the island's peaks.
Flight 298 was reported to have cleared the mountains by about 1,500 feet. The FAA is investigating the incident, which may reveal discrepancies between the reported instructions and the flight path. American Airlines has not yet commented on the matter.
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