Transport officials are investigating why a passenger jet was allowed to take off as Marine Forces One approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with President Donald Trump on board. The incident occurred on Tuesday, August 4, and may have violated safety procedures.
Investigations Launched
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration announced on Wednesday that they are looking into what happened.
Poor communication between the military and civilian air traffic controllers at Reagan has been an issue in the past. Last year, 67 people died when an airliner collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter.
Safety Measures in Place
As a result of that tragedy, the FAA decided to halt all take-offs and landings at the Washington, DC airport whenever a helicopter passes on a conflicting route. The airspace near the White House and Reagan is heavily congested with military and commercial aircraft.
In this incident, the two aircraft were not on a collision course, as the passenger jet was climbing above Marine One as the helicopter approached. The FAA stated that "there was a momentary loss of separation after which the aircraft continued to move away from one another." The air traffic controller was in contact with both the commercial pilot and the Marine One pilot during the loss of separation.
White House Response
The White House said Trump was never in danger. Spokesperson Kush Desai said, "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 Marine Corps also defended the actions of their helicopter pilots.
