FAA Investigates Near-Breach Involving Marine One and Passenger Jet at Reagan National
The FAA and NTSB are investigating after a passenger jet took off as Marine One approached Reagan Washington National Airport, potentially violating post-collision safety rules.
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The FAA is investigating why an Envoy Air jet was permitted to take off from Reagan National Airport as President Donald Trump's helicopter approached on Tuesday, involving a potential breach of safety rules enacted after a deadly 2025 collision.
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In January 2025, a collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter near Reagan National killed 67 people, leading to strict separation rules.
The United States Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday said it is investigating why a passenger jet was allowed to take off from Reagan Washington National Airport just as President Donald Trump's helicopter, Marine One, was approaching on Tuesday afternoon, in an apparent breach of safety rules adopted after last year's deadly midair collision near the airport.
In January 2025, a collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter near Reagan National killed 67 people and led to tighter separation rules and radar-based tracking requirements.
Marine One lifted off from near the White House around 2:33 p.m. local time, headed to Joint Base Andrews ahead of a trip to Los Angeles. Reuters cited a source saying the jet involved was Envoy Air Flight 3742, an American Airlines regional jet bound for Pensacola, Florida, which departed a minute later. A second flight, Republic 4700, was rerouted as a precaution after coming within three miles (about 4.8 kilometers) of the airport.
The jet was climbing above Marine One, so the two were never on a collision course.
"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 on Wednesday. FAA rules require aircraft near airports to stay at least 1.5 miles apart horizontally and 500 feet apart vertically. Both aircraft landed safely.
"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," White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement.
The Marine Corps defended the helicopter pilots' actions. "There were no 'close calls' with the routine Marine One movement," Marine Corps spokesperson Capt. Jacob Sugg said in an email to the Associated Press.
Under rules adopted after last year's crash, Reagan National is supposed to pause takeoffs and landings whenever a helicopter is on a conflicting route. But sources told Reuters controllers did not halt commercial flights on Tuesday as required. The National Transportation Safety Board said it would investigate, and the FAA said it plans to convene its own safety review.
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FAA and NTSB will conduct formal safety reviews.
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Offene Fragen
- Why did air traffic controllers fail to pause commercial takeoffs?
- What specific corrective actions will the FAA implement?
