US President Donald Trump was involved in a reported mid-air safety incident on Tuesday when Marine One, the military helicopter carrying him, is said to have come within less than a mile of a commercial passenger aircraft over Washington.
The helicopter left the White House bound for Andrews Air Force Base at roughly the same time an American Airlines regional flight departed from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, triggering a federal investigation into what officials termed a “loss of separation” incident.
The White House, however, maintained that the president was never in danger.
‘Loss of separation’ incident under investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has confirmed it is investigating a reported “loss of separation” between Marine One and a commercial aircraft that departed Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The agency said it is “investigating a reported loss of separation event between Marine One and a commercial aircraft departing DCA (Washington National Airport) that occurred on August 4.”
White House spokesperson Kush Desai defended the operation of the presidential helicopter, stating: “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.”
US aviation regulator the FAA said that “the air traffic controller was in contact with both the commercial pilot and Marine One pilot during the loss of separation.”
“The President was never in danger. We are continuing to review the incident and will implement any appropriate corrective actions based on our findings,” it added.
According to the Wall Street Journal, safety protocols in such situations mandate a minimum separation of 1.5 miles horizontally and 500 feet vertically.
US Marine Corps defends helicopter pilots
The US Marine Corps has stood by the actions of its helicopter pilots and dismissed reports of a near-miss involving Marine One, the Associated Press reported.
