The U.S. Army will pause helicopter flights near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), The Associated Press reports, citing two anonymous Army sources familiar with the matter. The decision comes days after Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) controllers had to force two commercial jets to abort landings due to an Army Black Hawk flying to the Pentagon.
On Thursday, May 1, the Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion was operating a Black Hawk helicopter and took an unapproved route near the Pentagon, causing two commercial flights — a Delta Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170 — to abort their landings due to proximity to the helicopter.
Chris Senn, the FAA’s assistant administrator for government and industry affairs, said the helicopter “took a scenic route around the Pentagon versus proceeding directly from the west to the heliport,” Politico reported.
Recent fatal crash heightens scrutiny
This suspension follows heightened safety concerns after a deadly midair collision on Jan. 29, between a military Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial jet, resulting in 67 fatalities. The FAA had already imposed restrictions on helicopter flights near DCA after that incident.
The 12th Battalion’s Priority Air Transport helicopters serve top Pentagon officials. In January, it was a Black Hawk Priority Air Transport, PAT25, that collided with the passenger jet.
In March, National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said there were 85 close calls between helicopters and planes near DCA in the three years before January’s deadly crash.
New FAA restrictions and ongoing investigations
The Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion is now under internal investigation. The FAA had already implemented airspace restrictions, including closing a primary route and limiting the use of secondary runways when helicopter missions are underway, after January’s deadly crash.
Additional incidents prompt concern
In separate incidents on Sunday morning, May 4, the FAA forced three commercial jets to abort their original landings at DCA due to a police helicopter in the airspace.
In a statement, the FAA said the agency “does not allow helicopters and airplanes to simultaneously operate in the airspace around Reagan Washington National Airport except in rare circumstances. Accordingly, air traffic control cancelled landing clearances for three flights earlier today while a police helicopter was on an urgent mission in that airspace.”
The FAA added, “All three flights landed without incident after making second approaches.”
