An air-traffic safety incident on Tuesday involving President Trump's Marine One helicopter and a commercial jet was partially linked to ongoing construction at the White House. The construction has temporarily closed the usual helipad on the South Lawn, forcing Marine One to use the Ellipse, a public park south of the White House, for takeoffs and landings since July.
This change in departure point significantly alters the routine in an already complex airspace around Washington, D.C., which is heavily congested with military and commercial aircraft. The altered flight path requires a more intricate coordination among various aircraft, including military helicopters, civilian helicopters, and passenger jets serving three major airports in the area.
During the incident, Marine One came within 0.8 miles laterally and 700 feet vertically of an Envoy Air flight 3742. This momentary loss of separation occurred because air-traffic controllers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport had not halted commercial flights as required under safety protocols established after a fatal collision in January 2025. That collision, which killed 67 people, led to rules dictating that all takeoffs and landings at Reagan National be halted when a helicopter like Marine One passes through on a conflicting route.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that President Trump was never in danger, but a review is underway. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the incident, with the FAA planning to convene a Safety Review Team. This incident highlights the challenges of managing air traffic in such a critical and busy airspace, especially with unforeseen operational changes like the helipad construction.
Garbled communications between Marine One's crew and air traffic controllers were also cited as a factor in the delay of clearing nearby air traffic. This communication breakdown, combined with the changed flight path due to construction, contributed to the safety lapse. Another regional flight was reportedly sent around out of caution during the incident.
