Air China Jet Climbs Without Clearance, Narrowly Avoids Mid-Air Collision Over Siberia

Two Chinese aircraft came perilously close to a mid-air collision earlier this month after an Air China Airbus A350 climbed without clearance into the path of a cargo jet over Siberia.

According to flight data, the incident occurred over the remote Tuva region near the Mongolian border when Air China Flight CA967, en route from Shanghai to Milan, unexpectedly ascended from 34,100 feet (10,394 meters) to 36,000 feet (10,973 meters). This brought it within just 90 to 120 meters (300-400 feet) of SF Airlines Flight CSS128, a Boeing 767-300ER freighter flying from Budapest to Ezhou at 35,000 feet.

Russian air traffic controllers had instructed all aircraft in the vicinity to maintain their current altitude, but the Air China crew apparently misunderstood the command and began climbing without authorization.

At approximately 21:39 GMT, both aircraft's Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) activated, urgently instructing the pilots to take evasive action. Controllers then guided both jets onto diverging paths to ensure safe separation.

The near miss breached international aviation regulations requiring a minimum vertical separation of 1,000 feet (305 meters).

Audio recordings of the exchange suggest miscommunication was a factor. A Russian controller can be heard asking: “Are you climbing with instruction or without instruction? Confirm, please.” The Air China pilot replied: “No. Thank you.”

Chinese media and The Independent report that the Air China crew later blamed a misunderstanding, saying the controller had made “a fuss” and left them “confused.”

Authorities have not yet released official findings on the incident.