The FAA is investigating a possible safety lapse after Marine One departed the Ellipse near the White House while commercial departures at Reagan National were reportedly not paused. Officials say the event may have involved a loss of the required 1.5-mile horizontal or 500-foot vertical separation, though regulators characterized it as not appearing to be a dangerous close call. The review follows a deadly midair collision near Reagan National about 18 months ago that led to stricter helicopter restrictions and procedural changes.
FAA Probes Possible Safety Lapse After Marine One Departed Near Reagan National
Marine One carrying U.S. President Donald Trump departs from the Ellipse near the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews.
WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a possible safety lapse after Marine One departed the Ellipse near the White House while commercial departures at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were reportedly not paused as required by post-accident flight restrictions.
According to reporting by The Wall Street Journal and statements relayed to Reuters, the incident may have involved a loss of standard separation—defined by FAA guidance as aircraft closer than the mandated minimum of 1.5 miles horizontally or 500 feet vertically. The FAA confirmed it is reviewing the event but said it "didn't appear to be a dangerous close call."
Reports indicate that roughly one minute after Marine One lifted off from the Ellipse with the president aboard, an Envoy Air regional jet (an American Airlines subsidiary) departed Reagan National en route to Pensacola, Florida. Marine One subsequently landed safely at Joint Base Andrews, and the president continued on to a scheduled event in California.
Context and Procedures
The review comes about a year and a half after an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with a regional jet near Reagan National, killing 67 people. That crash prompted tighter helicopter restrictions and adjustments to air-traffic procedures in the Washington area. As part of those measures, air-traffic control is typically given several minutes' advance notice before Marine One departures from the Ellipse so commercial traffic can be halted around Reagan National.
FAA Note: Investigations of this type examine whether procedures were followed and whether separation and traffic-hold protocols were properly implemented.
Separate Concerns Over Presidential Aircraft
Separately, the president recently traveled on a new Boeing VIP jet gifted by Qatar that has been designated the new Air Force One. After using that aircraft on an international trip, he later flew on an older presidential aircraft. Officials said the swap allowed U.S. service members at a U.K. base to tour the plane, though some reports said the Secret Service requested the change. The episode renewed public questions about the new plane's defensive and safety capabilities; the president has said the aircraft will receive additional security-focused upgrades.
The FAA's investigation will determine whether procedures were followed and whether changes to coordination or timing are needed to prevent future breaches of required separation around Washington-area airports.
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