Overview
- SoCal Departure immediately instructed ITA Airways AZ621 to turn right to heading 270 and told American Airlines AA4 to stop its climb at 1,500 feet, restoring safe separation.
- Flight‑tracking data and controller callouts indicate the aircraft closed to roughly 1 km (0.6 nm) horizontally at similar altitude.
- AZ621 made an unauthorized left turn seconds after taking off from runway 24L toward AA4, which had departed runway 25R moments earlier.
- Controllers required the ITA crew to contact ATC after landing in Rome and, when asked why they turned, the pilots replied, “Sorry,” according to the radio transcript.
- Airlines are conducting reviews as investigators assess the deviation, and speculation about an incorrect departure procedure in the flight management system remains unconfirmed.