Controllers warned Marine One pilots about communication issues week before dual takeoff, NTSB says
Summary
Air traffic controllers and the pilots of President Donald Trump’s helicopter talked about communication problems one week before both the helicopter and a plane took off at the same time near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Despite safety rules meant to prevent such events, the two aircraft ended up too close to each other on August 4, but the president was never in danger.Key Facts
- Controllers and Marine One pilots discussed communication problems a week before the August 4 incident.
- Both helicopter and plane took off simultaneously at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which is usually against safety rules.
- Safety procedures were updated after a 2025 midair collision that killed 67 people near the airport.
- The Pentagon and FAA have a long-standing rule that controllers get a three-minute warning before Marine One takes off.
- On August 4, the controller did not clearly receive the Marine One pilot’s three-minute warning, causing confusion.
- The Marine One pilot saw the plane and delayed briefly to avoid a collision.
- The airspace near the White House and Reagan is very busy with military and commercial flights.
- The FAA ruled that takeoffs and landings at the airport stop whenever a helicopter is on a conflicting flight path.
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