Washington.- The presidential helicopter Marine One, carrying U.S. President Donald Trump, flew within less than a mile of a commercial passenger plane in Washington airspace on Tuesday, in an incident that has once again brought the safety around Ronald Reagan National Airport under scrutiny.
The incident occurred when the presidential aircraft coincided in the vicinity of the airport with a flight from the local airline Envoy, according to local media reports this Wednesday.
The proximity between both aircraft triggered a review by aviation authorities to determine the circumstances of the encounter.
Concern about air traffic control in the area
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that a temporary reduction in aircraft separation occurred, while authorities are analyzing air traffic coordination in the area, where commercial flights, military aircraft, and movements linked to presidential transport converge.
The incident occurred in an area of special concern following other aviation safety episodes around Ronald Reagan airport, located near downtown Washington and restricted airspace.
More Read
The airspace of this metropolitan area has been a matter of safety concern since an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger flight on January 29, 2025, resulting in the deaths of all 67 people on board both aircraft.
