Federal investigators have linked White House construction to radio-communication problems that helped create a close call between Marine One and an Envoy Air passenger jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report ties the August incident to Marine One’s temporary departure point on the Ellipse, where President Donald Trump was aboard the helicopter as it lifted off toward restricted airspace.
Marine One had shifted away from the South Lawn while work continued on White House helipad and South Lawn improvements. That temporary setup disrupted the normal departure procedure, including the standard three-minute warning used to clear traffic before the helicopter takes off. Investigators said controllers did not receive the alert properly because of the radio issue, allowing the presidential aircraft and the regional jet to come far closer than intended.
The aircraft were separated by about 0.82 miles laterally and roughly 700 feet vertically, according to the reporting. The case remains under preliminary investigation, and final findings on causation or any operational changes have not yet been established.