The Federal Aviation Administration says Marine One, carrying President Trump, briefly flew too close to a passenger jet, with reports that air traffic controllers failed to pause commercial flights during the helicopter's departure.
Key facts
- The FAA said Marine One was briefly too close to a passenger airplane.
- Air traffic controllers had failed to pause commercial flights during Marine One's departure, sources say.
- The FAA had barred mixed helicopter and jet traffic around the airport after a January 2025 crash.
- That earlier crash between a military helicopter and a commercial jet killed 67 people.
The Federal Aviation Administration said that Marine One, the helicopter used to transport the U.S. president, briefly flew too close to a passenger airplane, according to reporting from CNBC and Al Jazeera.
According to Al Jazeera, air traffic controllers had failed to pause commercial flights during Marine One’s departure, sources said. The proximity between the presidential helicopter and the commercial jet drew renewed attention to how helicopter and airplane traffic is managed around the airport.
The incident is significant in light of restrictions the FAA had already put in place. According to CNBC, the FAA barred mixed helicopter and jet traffic around the airport following a January 2025 crash.
That earlier crash, between a military helicopter and a commercial jet, killed 67 people, CNBC reported. The FAA’s decision to separate helicopter and jet operations was a direct response to the deadly collision.
The latest event underscores ongoing concerns about coordinating military and civilian flights in shared airspace. The reports indicate that a lapse in pausing commercial traffic contributed to the aircraft coming into close proximity during Marine One’s departure.
Why it matters
The reported close call involves the presidential helicopter and a commercial jet in airspace that was specifically restricted after a fatal crash killed 67 people in January 2025. It raises questions about whether procedures put in place to keep helicopter and airplane traffic separated are being followed.
Frequently asked questions
What happened with Marine One?
The FAA said Marine One briefly flew too close to a passenger airplane. According to Al Jazeera, air traffic controllers had failed to pause commercial flights during the helicopter's departure.
Why were helicopter and jet flights being kept separate?
According to CNBC, the FAA barred mixed helicopter and jet traffic around the airport after a January 2025 crash between a military helicopter and a commercial jet killed 67 people.
How many people died in the earlier crash?
CNBC reported that the January 2025 crash between a military helicopter and a commercial jet killed 67 people.