Federal aviation officials are investigating an incident where a commercial jet flew too close to a military helicopter carrying President Trump.
According to reports, a passenger jet departing from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport came within one mile of the Marine One helicopter.
“NTSB is investigating a reported loss of separation event between Marine One and a commercial aircraft departing DCA that occurred on Aug. 4,” the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said.
NTSB is investigating a reported loss of separation event between Marine One and a commercial aircraft departing DCA that occurred on Aug. 4.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) August 5, 2026
Axios explained further:
A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration said the agency is reviewing the incident.
“Based on our preliminary safety review, there was momentary loss of separation after which the aircraft continued to move away from one another,” he said.
“The air traffic controller was in contact with both the commercial pilot and Marine One pilot during the loss of separation,” he said, adding that “the president was never in danger.”
The FAA placed permanent restrictions and banned mixed helicopter and jet traffic around the Reagan National following a fatal midair collision in January 2025.
The incident occurred while Trump was flying to Joint Base Andrews from the White House on the first leg of a planned trip to Los Angeles.
“Although the president was at no point in harm’s way during yesterday’s momentary loss of separation, the White House continues to work with relevant military, FAA and other security personnel to ensure the president’s continued safety,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement, according to Axios.
Watch more below:
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are looking into why airport traffic wasn't halted when Marine One departed the White House Tuesday afternoon with President Trump on board. CBS News' @nancycordes has more. pic.twitter.com/SS8QdpmEKb
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 6, 2026
More from The New York Times:
A spokesman for the Marine Corps, Capt. Jacob M. Sugg, called the flight “routine.” He did not respond to more detailed questions about the incident. The incident was reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal.
The airspace around National Airport has been a source of safety concern ever since an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into an American Airlines passenger flight on Jan. 29, 2025, killing all 67 people aboard both aircraft.
ADVERTISEMENTA report by the National Transportation Safety Board, the independent government agency that investigated the accident, found that degraded radio reception deprived the Black Hawk crew of critical information about the aircraft with which it ultimately collided. The board also found that the controller handling those flights was overtaxed by working two jobs at a busy time.
Since then, the F.A.A. has taken some steps to improve air safety above Washington, including by modifying and closing helicopter routes. But many of the other safety measures recommended by the N.T.S.B. have yet to be adopted.
On Tuesday, the radio reception problems were evident even before Marine One took off from the Ellipse for the trip to Andrews.
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