Army Halts Helicopter Flights Near Reagan National After Close Calls with Commercial Aircraft

The air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen at sunset, Feb. 1, 2025, in Arlington, Va..

The U.S. Army has temporarily suspended helicopter flight operations near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport following two serious close-call incidents involving an Army Black Hawk helicopter and commercial airliners attempting to land. The decision was made after both planes were forced to abort their landings last Thursday due to the proximity of the military aircraft en route to the Pentagon.

The commander of the 12th Aviation Battalion ordered the pause, which began Friday, according to Army officials. The suspension specifically affects flight paths around Reagan National Airport, although the unit continues to operate elsewhere in the greater Washington, D.C., area. The decision to halt flights underscores growing safety concerns following recent high-risk encounters in the airspace.

Thursday’s incident involved a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170. Both aircraft were instructed by air traffic controllers to perform “go-arounds” after a “priority air transport” helicopter disrupted their approach. That helicopter was later identified as a UH-60 Black Hawk operated by the 12th Aviation Battalion, responsible for transporting top-level Pentagon officials.

The recent close calls follow a tragic midair collision in January, when a Black Hawk helicopter collided with a commercial jet at Reagan National, resulting in 67 fatalities—the deadliest midair accident in the U.S. in over two decades. The helicopter involved in that crash was another priority air transport flight designated PAT25.

In response to the January disaster, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented restrictions prohibiting helicopters from sharing the same airspace as fixed-wing aircraft near Reagan Airport. Despite these measures, the latest incident highlights ongoing risks and a need for heightened safety protocols.

The Army stated that in Thursday’s incident, the Black Hawk was adhering to published FAA flight routes and operating under instructions from air traffic control when it was redirected by Pentagon controllers to perform a go-around maneuver above the Pentagon helipad, in accordance with approved flight procedures.

Further compounding concerns, the FAA reported that three additional commercial flights were instructed to go around on Sunday due to an urgent police helicopter mission near Reagan. All planes eventually landed safely.

Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the most recent incident involving the Army helicopter. The NTSB previously warned that the January collision was part of a troubling pattern of close calls near Reagan. Their investigation identified 85 similar incidents over a three-year period before the fatal crash, suggesting a systemic safety issue that had not been adequately addressed by the FAA.

In response to mounting scrutiny, the FAA initiated a nationwide safety review of airports with heavy helicopter activity. Early findings from that review have already flagged concerns at Las Vegas’ airport due to its concentration of commercial helicopter tours. That investigation remains ongoing.