The incident occurred as Marine One was travelling from the White House toward Andrews Air Force Base (Img: X)
New Delhi: A major aviation safety alert was triggered in Washington after US President Donald Trump’s official helicopter, Marine One, reportedly came close to a commercial passenger aircraft during a flight on Tuesday.
The incident occurred as Marine One was travelling from the White House toward Andrews Air Force Base, while an American Airlines regional flight had taken off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Officials said the two aircraft came within a distance that raised concerns over a possible “loss of separation” event.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into the incident involving Marine One and the passenger aircraft. The agency confirmed that it was reviewing the reported loss of separation that occurred on August 4.
The investigation will focus on air traffic control communication, flight coordination and whether standard safety procedures were followed.
The White House rejected concerns over the incident and said President Trump was never at risk.
White House spokesperson Kush Desai stated that Marine One flights are operated by highly trained military pilots and that there was no moment when the president was in harm’s way.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also confirmed that air traffic controllers were in contact with both aircraft crews during the incident.
The reported incident comes months after increased aviation safety measures were introduced around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport following a deadly collision between a passenger aircraft and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter in January 2025, which killed 67 people.
Officials are now examining whether communication issues or operational challenges contributed to the latest event.
The US Marine Corps also defended Marine One pilots, saying there was no “close call” during the routine presidential helicopter movement.
