Chaos at Reagan: Army helicopter forces two passenger jets into emergency go-around

What Happened Near Reagan National Airport on May 1?

Two commercial aircraft were forced to execute go-arounds on final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Thursday, May 1, after a U.S. Army helicopter unexpectedly entered their airspace. The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 PM Eastern Time and was immediately reported by air traffic control authorities to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The helicopter, identified as a U.S. Army Black Hawk, reportedly deviated from its designated flight path en route to the Pentagon helipad, prompting aviation controllers to instruct Delta Air Lines Flight 1671 from Orlando and Republic Airways Flight 5825 from Boston to abort landings and circle back.

The FAA confirmed that a “loss of separation” — a term used to describe aircraft entering closer proximity than regulation allows — was recorded. No injuries occurred, and both planes landed safely after the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA have launched parallel investigations into the incident, which comes just three months after a deadly collision in the same area involving another Army helicopter.

Why Did the Flights Perform Go-Arounds?

Both aircraft were on their final approach to Reagan National Airport when air traffic controllers noticed the Army helicopter had diverted from its authorized route. The helicopter was scheduled to fly directly to the Pentagon helipad, located just north of the airport’s airspace. However, it reportedly took what one FAA official described as a “scenic” path around the Pentagon, placing it in the flight paths of incoming commercial traffic.

Controllers issued immediate go-around orders to both commercial flights. According to FAA preliminary radar data, one of the jets came within 0.4 nautical miles horizontally and 200 feet vertically of the helicopter — far below the minimum separation requirement. This prompted internal alerts and a safety protocol review.

What Is a ‘Loss of Separation’ and How Serious Was It?

A “loss of separation” event is a serious breach in aviation safety that occurs when two or more aircraft come closer than the minimum permitted distance. These regulations are strictly enforced to prevent mid-air collisions and typically allow a horizontal separation of 3 nautical miles and a vertical separation of at least 1,000 feet in controlled airspace. In this incident, both limits were violated.

FAA officials noted that the proximity between the Army helicopter and the commercial jet qualified as a Category A incident — the highest severity level for airspace violations short of a collision.

Did the Helicopter’s Tracking System Fail?

Early findings from the FAA suggest the helicopter’s Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) system may not have been transmitting consistently. The radar signature of the helicopter reportedly disappeared intermittently and then reappeared in unpredictable locations. This rendered the aircraft difficult to track and created confusion for controllers managing inbound commercial traffic.

The issue bears striking similarity to the January 29, 2025, crash in which an Army helicopter collided mid-air with a regional passenger aircraft, killing all 67 people aboard. Investigators of that earlier crash concluded that the Army helicopter had turned off its ADS-B transponder while conducting a classified mission, preventing civilian controllers from detecting its position.

How Are Authorities Responding?

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have both launched independent reviews. The FAA issued a statement confirming that both flights were rerouted safely and that no passengers were harmed. However, the agency has not yet commented on whether the helicopter’s deviation violated airspace authorization procedures.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the situation “deeply troubling” and said it raised urgent questions about operational safety in restricted urban airspace. He stated that airspace coordination procedures between military and civilian aviation sectors would be reviewed “without delay.”

A Pentagon spokesperson acknowledged the incident and confirmed the helicopter belonged to the same Army aviation brigade involved in the January crash. The spokesperson declined to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation.

Are There Broader Safety Concerns at Reagan National?

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is one of the most complex aviation zones in the United States. Located just a few miles from the White House, Capitol Hill, and the Pentagon, it is surrounded by restricted and classified airspace used by military, federal law enforcement, and civilian aircraft alike. This proximity makes it especially vulnerable to coordination errors between defense and civilian flight systems.

After the January crash, the FAA implemented several emergency restrictions. These included banning non-essential helicopter operations within a 5-mile radius of the airport and requiring active ADS-B transponder functionality for all aircraft entering the region’s controlled airspace. However, the recurrence of an incident within three months has renewed scrutiny of those safeguards.

What Are Aviation Experts Saying?

Aviation safety experts indicated that go-arounds themselves are not unusual and are regularly executed for various safety reasons, including weather and traffic congestion. However, unplanned go-arounds caused by unauthorized aircraft proximity pose significant operational risk.

Aviation analyst Charles Brunner told Reuters that repeated incidents involving military aircraft indicate “systemic deficiencies in communication protocols and radar visibility.” He stressed the need for enhanced interoperability between the FAA and the Department of Defense, particularly for aircraft operating in civilian-heavy corridors.

What Are the Next Steps in the Investigation?

The NTSB will focus on flight data records, radar telemetry, and communication logs between the helicopter pilot and air traffic control. FAA investigators will examine potential violations of restricted route protocols and review whether the Army pilot received and acknowledged approach guidance from the tower.

The Department of Defense is expected to conduct an internal review, particularly concerning the operational discretion given to military pilots near civilian airspace. Congressional hearings may also follow, as lawmakers including Senator Maria Cantwell and Representative Sam Graves have already called for increased oversight of mixed-use flight zones in the D.C. metropolitan area.

Could This Impact Civilian and Military Airspace Protocols?

If the investigation confirms that the Army helicopter deviated from approved routing or that its tracking system was compromised, regulatory changes are likely. These may include additional no-fly zones, mandatory continuous ADS-B transponder use regardless of mission status, or redefined separation guidelines for high-sensitivity air corridors like Washington, D.C.

The FAA may also consider revising emergency procedures for go-arounds triggered by non-commercial aircraft incursions and enforcing stricter penalties for any deviation in federally controlled zones.

Public and Passenger Reaction

Passengers aboard the two affected flights were largely unaware of the exact cause at the time, although some reported hearing a vague announcement from the cockpit referencing “airspace congestion.” Social media posts after landing described the maneuvers as “abrupt” and “confusing,” although no injuries or operational incidents were reported.

Delta Air Lines issued a brief statement affirming its commitment to safety and cooperation with investigators. Republic Airways has not publicly responded as of this writing.