A routine Sunday afternoon arrival into Los Angeles International Airport turned unexpectedly strange when the crew of a U.S. government Gulfstream reported that a person in a wingsuit crossed above their jet during final approach. The sighting triggered safety warnings to other flights and an aerial search by deputies, who sent up a helicopter but did not find anyone on the ground. Federal aviation officials have opened an investigation into the report.
ATC recording captures 'wingsuit' sighting
In an air traffic control recording obtained by local media, the crew of Special Air Mission flight 741 can be heard telling the LAX tower that they "just had somebody cross above us around 4,000 feet in a wingsuit" while on final approach. The flight, a Gulfstream identified as SAM 741, had departed Joint Base Andrews, made a stop at Nellis Air Force Base, and was inbound to LAX for a scheduled 1:50 p.m. arrival when the call came in roughly 10 minutes before landing.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said SoCal TRACON reported a skydiver in the area west of the 605 and north of the 105, and deputies launched an air unit to search the reported location. By the time they arrived, they found no sign of anyone on the ground, according to NBC Los Angeles.
Why controllers treated it as a safety threat
Airliners on final approach are flying fast, relatively low, and in tight corridors, which leaves little time for pilots or controllers to see and avoid small, untracked targets. That is why any unexpected person or device reported near an approach path prompts immediate advisories and follow-up.
Unexplained "jetpack" and high-altitude sightings in the same general area near LAX in 2020 and afterward also drew scrutiny from the FAA and FBI, underscoring why controllers and investigators treat reports in the approach corridor so seriously, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Parachutes, rules and accountability
Parachute operations in U.S. airspace fall under federal rules that require advance notification and coordination with air traffic control for jumps into or over controlled airspace. Unauthorized or uncoordinated jumps can create hazards for both jumpers and aircraft and are subject to enforcement action.
Those requirements are codified in 14 CFR Part 105, which spells out when and how parachute operations must be notified and conducted, as published by GovInfo.
What's next
The FAA has opened an investigation into the incident, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told NBC Los Angeles that deputies found no one after their aerial search. Airport and federal officials had not released additional findings as of this report.
This story will be updated as agencies publish results or issue official statements. Anyone with information about the reported wingsuit sighting is asked to contact law enforcement or airport authorities.
