Two Flights Abort Landings in Washington Due to Military Helicopter Maneuver: FAA, Army Under Scrutiny
A new controversy has shaken aviation safety in the United States. Last Thursday, two commercial flights were forced to abort their landings at Washington Reagan National Airport due to the presence of a Black Hawk military helicopter in nearby airspace. The incident has prompted investigations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the U.S. Army.
Incident Details
According to the FAA’s report on Friday, air traffic controllers instructed Delta Air Lines Flight 1671, an Airbus A319 arriving from Orlando, and Republic Airways Flight 5825, an Embraer 170 from Boston, to perform go-around maneuvers around 2:30 p.m. The reason: a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was conducting a priority operation near the Pentagon.
The Army stated in a release that the helicopter was following FAA-published routes and under instructions from the Pentagon’s air traffic control. During its approach, the helicopter was also ordered to execute a go-around, resulting in a critical overlap of flight paths with the civilian aircraft.
Reactions and Background
This event comes just three months after an aviation tragedy on January 29, when an American Airlines regional plane collided midair with an Army Black Hawk, killing 67 people. Following that incident, the FAA imposed permanent restrictions on non-essential helicopter operations near Reagan Airport.
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However, the helicopter involved in Thursday’s incident did not follow the direct route to the Pentagon helipad as required by protocol. Instead, it took a wider path around the building—a move the FAA identified as a potential violation of its existing agreement with the Army, according to a memo cited by Reuters.
Strong Criticism from Congress
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz was blunt: “The Army is once again putting the traveling public at risk. It’s time for the FAA to take firm action and reclaim control of our national airspace.”
Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell also expressed outrage, noting that the incident occurred just days after the responsible military brigade resumed flights in the capital region. “It’s high time Secretary Hegseth and the FAA give our airspace the safety attention it deserves,” she said.
FAA and Additional Restrictions
Since March, the FAA has implemented stricter measures, including the permanent closure of a key route and a ban on using two secondary runways during urgent helicopter operations near the airport. Additionally, the agency is reviewing helicopter routes at other major airports as part of a broader safety campaign driven by a rising number of incidents.
Between 2021 and March 2024, 85 “loss of separation” events between helicopters and planes were documented—defined as less than 1,500 feet laterally and 200 feet vertically, according to the NTSB.
Questionable Army Practices
One of the most contentious issues has been the Army’s practice of disabling the ADS-B safety system during training missions in the Washington area. This reduces military aircraft visibility on civilian systems, increasing the risk of midair conflicts.
Furthermore, a government official speaking anonymously claimed the helicopter was conducting an emergency evacuation drill at the time—a move some deemed unjustified given the congested airspace conditions.
Industry Repercussions
Delta confirmed its flight carried five crew members and 97 passengers and stated it is fully cooperating with investigations. Republic Airways declined to comment.
Industry groups like Airlines for America—which represents American Airlines and other carriers—have called on the FAA to permanently suspend helicopter traffic near the airport, except for strictly necessary cases such as medical emergencies or essential military missions.
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