• The U.S. Army has temporarily halted helicopter flights around the Pentagon following a Thursday incident that forced two commercial flights to abort landings at Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
  • A military helicopter took an unplanned route near DCA, briefly losing radar contact and coming within 200 feet of a civilian aircraft.
  • The incident comes just months after a fatal midair collision between an Army Black Hawk and commercial flight in the same airspace.

Safety Concerns Prompt Flight Pause

The U.S. Army's decision to suspend helicopter operations near the Pentagon follows what transportation officials are calling a "serious breach" of established flight protocols. On Thursday afternoon, a Priority Air Transport helicopter en route to the Pentagon Army Heliport from Fort Belvoir deviated from its expected flight path, triggering emergency maneuvers by two commercial flights approaching DCA.

Air traffic controllers ordered both Delta Air Lines Flight 1671 from Orlando and Republic Airways Flight 5825 from Boston to execute go-arounds when the military helicopter appeared in their approach paths. Preliminary reports indicate the Black Hawk's transponder temporarily stopped transmitting its position, creating what one FAA official described as "a dangerous blind spot" in busy terminal airspace.

"Our helicopter restrictions around DCA are absolutely clear," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters Friday. "There should be no more helicopter flights for VIPs or unnecessary training in crowded DCA airspace filled with civilians." The Secretary's unusually blunt remarks reference the January 2025 midair collision that killed 67 people when an Army helicopter and American Airlines jet collided over the Potomac River.

Investigation Underway

The FAA has launched a full investigation into Thursday's incident, which occurred amid what multiple sources describe as chronic understaffing at regional air traffic control facilities. At the time of the January crash, only one controller was monitoring airspace designed for two-person coverage.

Army spokesperson Capt. Victoria Goldib maintained the helicopter was "operating in accordance with published FAA routes," though she acknowledged the service is cooperating fully with investigators. Aviation experts note the Pentagon heliport's proximity to DCA—just 2.5 miles away—creates inherent challenges for air traffic management.

The flight pause comes as the Transportation Department prepares to announce new measures to address the nationwide controller shortage, including increased salaries and accelerated hiring. Meanwhile, the Army has not specified how long the operational stand-down will last, saying only that flights will resume "when safety protocols have been thoroughly reviewed and reinforced."