Marine One, the military helicopter that carries US President Donald Trump, briefly came too close to a commercial passenger plane departing Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, prompting investigations by both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
According to Reuters, the FAA said Marine One and the departing Envoy Air passenger jet bound for Pensacola, Florida, on Tuesday afternoon experienced a "momentary loss of separation," though the two aircraft quickly moved away from each other and the President was never in danger.
While the aircraft landed safely, another flight was also rerouted as a precaution.
"Based on our preliminary safety review, there was momentary loss of separation after which the aircraft continued to move away from one another," the FAA said.
"The air traffic controller was in contact with both the commercial pilot and Marine One pilot during the loss of separation."
The incident has renewed concerns about flight safety in the tightly controlled Washington airspace, particularly after the January 2025 mid-air collision between a military helicopter and a passenger jet near Reagan National Airport that killed all 67 people on board.
In a report, The New York Times said Marine One was flying President Trump from the White House to Joint Base Andrews at around 2.30 pm (local time) before his scheduled trip to Los Angeles for a Republican fundraiser at one of his golf clubs.
The newspaper reported that the presidential helicopter came within less than a mile of an Envoy Air jet after communication problems apparently delayed air traffic controllers from clearing nearby traffic.
The report said the Marine One crew attempted three times to notify controllers that the helicopter would lift off in three minutes, but the transmissions appeared not to have been received before the aircraft departed.
A review of air traffic control audio cited by media similarly indicates the helicopter crew repeatedly warned the Reagan National control tower before departure.
"Tower, do you copy. Marine One, three minutes to lift," one pilot said, according to the audio reviewed by media.
After another transmission, the controller reportedly responded that the message was "broken and unreadable."
Moments later, when the helicopter announced it was departing, the controller replied, "Marine One, you said you are proceeding as briefed?" before warning the crew about the passenger jet that had already begun taking off.
The Marine One pilots acknowledged seeing the aircraft and briefly held position before continuing to Joint Base Andrews.
Following last year's fatal crash, the FAA permanently tightened helicopter operations around Reagan National Airport, including restricting mixed helicopter and commercial jet traffic and introducing additional safety measures.
Media reported that commercial departures are typically paused when the President's helicopter takes off from the White House, which is located only a few miles from Reagan National Airport.
The US Marine Corps, however, told medida that "Marine One's flight on was routine" and said "Washington National Tower did not delay the helicopter crew, ask them to hold, or otherwise alter their flight profile."
White House spokesperson Kush Desai told The Wall Street Journal that "Marine One flights are piloted by some of the best aviators in the world, and at no point was the President in harm's way."
The FAA said it will continue reviewing the incident and implement corrective measures if necessary, while the NTSB has opened a separate investigation.
Source: India Today