Black Hawk Helicopter Forces Two Passenger Planes to Abort Landings at Airport

A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter forced two commercial jetliners to abort their landings at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport this week, reigniting safety concerns just months after a deadly mid-air collision in the same airspace.

The near miss occurred Thursday afternoon when the military helicopter veered off its expected route, prompting air traffic controllers to issue emergency “go-around” orders to both a Delta Air Lines flight and a Republic Airways flight approaching the airport.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy didn’t hold back. “Unacceptable,” he wrote on social media. “Safety must ALWAYS come first. We just lost 67 souls! No more helicopter rides for VIPs or unnecessary training in a congested DCA airspace full of civilians.”

The Black Hawk’s detour around the Pentagon was deemed a violation of safety protocols, according to a memo from FAA official Chris Senn obtained by Politico. Rather than following a direct approach to its destination, the helicopter reportedly took a “scenic route,” disrupting the carefully choreographed movements of inbound commercial traffic.

This latest scare comes on the heels of a devastating January crash near DCA, where another Army Black Hawk collided mid-air with an American Airlines regional jet, killing 67 people—the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster since 2001. In response, helicopter operations around the airport had already been restricted.

But Thursday’s breach has sparked new outrage and deeper scrutiny. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board have both launched investigations, and Secretary Duffy says he plans to speak directly with Defense Department officials about why these rules were ignored.

The National Transportation Safety Board has been sounding alarms for months. In March, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy warned that the mix of helicopter and commercial plane traffic over the capital creates “an intolerable risk.” Data reviewed by the board showed that from 2011 to 2024, at least one close call was reported every month in the crowded airspace near Reagan National.

Despite earlier restrictions, helicopter incursions appear to be ongoing—and dangerous. Just weeks ago, a Delta commercial plane and an Air Force jet came alarmingly close to colliding, triggering automated warnings and urgent instructions from air traffic control.