The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a possible safety violation after a commercial plane took off from Reagan National Airport while President Donald Trump’s helicopter, Marine One, was approaching the airport on Tuesday.The incident happened as Marine One was flying from the White House to Andrews Air Force Base, carrying Trump for the first leg of a West Coast trip. The commercial aircraft took off at around the same time and climbed above the approaching helicopter.The FAA said the two aircraft were not on a collision course but acknowledged a “momentary loss of separation”. “The air traffic controller was in contact with both the commercial pilot and Marine One pilot during the loss of separation,” the agency said, as quoted by Reuters.The incident is significant because the FAA had introduced stricter procedures at Reagan National Airport after a midair collision on January 29, 2025, killed 67 people. Under the rules, all takeoffs and landings at the airport are supposed to be halted whenever a helicopter passes nearby.The FAA has not said why the commercial aircraft was cleared to take off while Marine One was approaching. It is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.The White House said Trump was not in danger. “Marine One flights are piloted by some of the best aviators in the world, and at no point was the President in harm’s way,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said.The Marine Corps also rejected suggestions that the helicopter came close to the plane. “There were no ‘close calls’ with the routine Marine One movement,” Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Jacob Sugg said.Sugg said Washington National Tower did not delay or ask the helicopter crew to hold and instead “approved the requested route and provided timely and appropriate traffic information.”The Wall Street Journal first reported the incident.The airspace around the White House and Reagan National Airport is heavily congested, with military and commercial aircraft operating in close proximity. Following last year’s crash, the FAA moved to prevent helicopters and airplanes from sharing the same airspace around Reagan. The rules also prohibit controllers from relying on visual separation and require military aircraft to broadcast their locations.Families of victims of last year’s crash questioned whether enough has been done to improve safety in the crowded airspace. They have urged Congress to pass aviation safety reforms recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board.The NTSB said it was still gathering information about Tuesday’s incident and had not yet decided whether to open its own investigation.
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