Marine One pilots knew about communication issues before close call
On August 4, Marine One helicopters experienced communication issues with air traffic control at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) prior to a flight carrying President Donald Trump. Despite efforts to alert the tower with a three-minute warning and an alternative relaying method through Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, initial contact attempts failed. The pilots eventually established communication once reaching a certain altitude, after wich they coordinated with air traffic control to avoid a nearby commercial flight, which had departed earlier that morning. Although the incident did not result in a collision,it raised concerns about safety,reminiscent of a past fatal crash at DCA. The FAA and NTSB are investigating, with the NTSB’s preliminary report confirming ongoing inquiries. The incident occurred amid ongoing construction at the White House helipad,prompting the use of an alternate departure location. The FAA noted that the situation did not pose a danger to President Trump or others onboard.
The pilots of Marine One tried to resolve communication issues in a meeting with air traffic controllers from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport five days before the presidential transport helicopter departed at the same time as a passenger jet, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board on Thursday.
The Marine One pilots confirmed DCA controllers’ concerns that radio communication “had been spotty” in their July 30 meeting. Both sides agreed to an alternative contact method in case the initial attempt failed. Both methods were unsuccessful in the aviation incident.
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On Aug. 4, Marine One took off from the Ellipse park near the White House around the same time as an Envoy Air flight departed from DCA. President Donald Trump was aboard the helicopter at the time.
The helicopter pilots tried to give the air traffic control tower a three-minute warning prior to their departure, as required, but the message couldn’t get through initially. The alternative method was to relay the three-minute call through the helicopter facility at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, but that didn’t work either.
After two failed attempts, the Marine One pilots eventually established contact with the tower once they reached a certain altitude. By then, the airplane was already airborne after being cleared for takeoff.
The on-duty controller relayed that information to the helicopter pilots, who then reported seeing the commercial flight and decided to briefly delay Marine One. Both aircraft proceeded on their respective journeys.
Though the incident resulted in no collision, it was reminiscent of the fatal crash involving a military helicopter and a passenger jet at DCA in January 2025.
The mandatory three-minute warning, which is part of an agreement between the Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration, predated last year’s mid-air collision. The FAA later took steps to halt commercial flights anytime a helicopter passes near DCA on a conflicting route.
The FAA said the Aug. 4 incident “didn’t appear to be a dangerous close call.” Separately, the White House said Trump was never “in harm’s way.” The FAA reported the closest distance between the helicopter and plane at any point was about 0.82 nautical miles laterally and about 700 feet vertically, according to the NTSB.
The FAA and NTSB launched similar investigations into the Aug. 4 incident the following day. In its preliminary report, the NTSB said its investigation remains ongoing.
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Notably, the report says Marine One took off from the Ellipse due to ongoing construction at the White House.
The note likely refers to the helipad construction on the South Lawn, where the presidential helicopter normally lands and takes off. The granite landing pad is not yet complete, though it was partially unveiled during a press tour led by the president last week.
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