Two commercial flights were forced to abort landings at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Thursday after a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter entered the airspace near the runway, just months after a fatal mid-air collision in the same area killed 67 people.
The incident occurred around 14:30 and involved Delta Air Lines and Republic Airways flights ordered to perform “go-arounds” due to the helicopter’s proximity.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticised the event as “unacceptable” and said he would seek answers from the Pentagon.
The UH-60 helicopter was flying below 200 feet as part of a Joint Emergency Evacuation Plan drill and was under Pentagon air traffic control.
No injuries occurred, and the Army stated it followed approved flight procedures, though the event is under investigation by the NTSB and FAA.
The January crash that killed 67 involved another Black Hawk helicopter and raised ongoing concerns about airspace congestion and helicopter safety near Reagan Airport.
The NTSB continues to advocate for tighter restrictions on helicopter operations in the area, citing an “intolerable risk” to aviation safety.