August 6, 2026 | 11:44 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United States Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday said it is investigating why a passenger jet was allowed to take off from Reagan Washington National Airport just as President Donald Trump's helicopter, Marine One, was approaching on Tuesday afternoon, in an apparent breach of safety rules adopted after last year's deadly midair collision near the airport.
In January 2025, a collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter near Reagan National killed 67 people and led to tighter separation rules and radar-based tracking requirements.
What do we know?
Marine One lifted off from near the White House around 2:33 p.m. local time, headed to Joint Base Andrews ahead of a trip to Los Angeles. Reuters cited a source saying the jet involved was Envoy Air Flight 3742, an American Airlines regional jet bound for Pensacola, Florida, which departed a minute later. A second flight, Republic 4700, was rerouted as a precaution after coming within three miles (about 4.8 kilometers) of the airport.
The jet was climbing above Marine One, so the two were never on a collision course.
"Based on our preliminary safety review, there was momentary loss of separation after which the aircraft continued to move away from one another," the FAA said on Wednesday. FAA rules require aircraft near airports to stay at least 1.5 miles apart horizontally and 500 feet apart vertically. Both aircraft landed safely.
White House says president was not in danger
"Marine One flights are piloted by some of the best aviators in the world, and at no point was the President in harm's way," White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement.
The Marine Corps defended the helicopter pilots' actions. "There were no 'close calls' with the routine Marine One movement," Marine Corps spokesperson Capt. Jacob Sugg said in an email to the Associated Press.
Under rules adopted after last year's crash, Reagan National is supposed to pause takeoffs and landings whenever a helicopter is on a conflicting route. But sources told Reuters controllers did not halt commercial flights on Tuesday as required. The National Transportation Safety Board said it would investigate, and the FAA said it plans to convene its own safety review.
NASA's X-59 Jet Reaches Supersonic Speed in Test Flight
50 hari lalu
On June 12, NASA's X-59 jet broke the sound barrier at an altitude of 16,700 meters.
Macron: Rafale Jet Arrival Highlights Strong France-Indonesia Ties
29 Mei 2026
President Macron of France considers Indonesia to be a crucial strategic partner for France in the Indo-Pacific region.
US: Two Jets Collide Midair at Idaho Air Show
18 Mei 2026
Two EA-18G Growler jets crashed near a US Air Force base in Idaho. The pilots ejected safely, organizers said.
Indonesia Rejects Claim of 12 Pilatus PC-24 Jets Contract Signing
7 April 2026
Indonesian Ministry of Defense denies having signed a contract to procure 12 Pilatus PC-24 jets as stated on the manufacturer's official website.
Iran Claims US Refueling Jet Shot Down; Crew Lost in Iraq
13 Maret 2026
Iran claims a "resistance faction" shot down a US KC-135 refueling aircraft in western Iraq.
Air Force One Jets to Get Trump's Signature Color Scheme
18 Februari 2026
Planes in the presidential fleet are set to receive a new paint job at the order of President Trump, U.S. media outlets say.
Two Delta Air Lines Jets Collide at New York's LaGuardia Airport, Leaving One Injured
3 Oktober 2025
Incident results in a cabin crew member being injured despite being involved in a low-speed airplane collision
Specifications of South Korea's T-50i Fighter Jets Purchased by Indonesia
30 September 2025
The Indonesian government will receive two units of T-50i Golden Eagle fighter jets manufactured by Korean Aerospace Industries in November 2025.
Indonesia to Receive 2 South Korean T-50i Golden Eagle Jets in November 2025
30 September 2025
The two T-50i Golden Eagle fighter jets are the first batch of a six-unit procurement agreement finalized during the term of Defense Minister Prabowo.
Indonesia Plans Purchase of 48 Turkish KAAN Fighter Jets in Rp162 Trillion MoU
18 Juni 2025
Indonesia plans to purchase a total of 48 fifth-generation KAAN fighter jets from Turkey worth Rp162 trillion.
