On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that President Trump's Marine One helicopter was briefly too close to a passenger jet departing from Reagan Washington National Airport, although it stated that the president was not in danger.
This incident is particularly concerning given the FAA's previous restrictions on mixed helicopter and jet traffic following a deadly crash in January 2025 that resulted in 67 fatalities.
The FAA's preliminary review indicated a momentary loss of separation between the two aircraft, which should not occur under FAA regulations that require a minimum horizontal separation of 1.5 miles and a vertical separation of 500 feet. The incident occurred shortly after Marine One took off at 2:33 p.m. EDT, with the Envoy Air 3742 regional jet departing just one minute later.
Both aircraft landed safely, but the FAA is now planning to convene a safety review team to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. Additionally, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, Jennifer Homendy, mentioned that they are considering an investigation as they gather more information.
This incident underscores the importance of strict adherence to air traffic control protocols, especially in busy airspace near major airports, and raises questions about the effectiveness of current safety measures in preventing potential collisions