Helicopter flights near a Washington, D.C. airport have been put on pause after two commercial airliners had to abort landings to avoid colliding with an Army Black Hawk helicopter last week.
All helicopter operations near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were halted following Thursday’s two close calls, two Army officials told the Associated Press Monday.
The stoppage also comes months after 64 passengers and three crew members were killed when a Black Hawk helicopter collided with a passenger jet at the same airport on January 29.
The Army officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the unit is continuing to fly in the greater Washington, D.C., region. The unit had planned to gradually increase the number of flights over the next four weeks, according to an Army document viewed by AP - but now has paused them.
The two close calls on Thursday unfolded as air traffic control directed a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170 to conduct a “go-around” to allow a “priority air transport.”
Both commercial airlines were forced to abort their planned landings to make way for an Army helicopter to head to the Pentagon Army Hospital, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating the latest close call.
Following the deadly January crash, the FAA imposed restrictions on helicopter traffic in the area, including permanently banning non-essential helicopter operations, eliminating helicopter and fixed-wing mixed traffic and permanently closing a route along the Potomac River to helicopter traffic, among others.
Exceptions are allowed for life-saving medical support, active law enforcement operations, active air defense, and presidential and vice presidential helicopter travel.
It was not immediately clear whether the Black Hawk involved in Thursday’s incident was operating under those guidelines.
With contributions from the Associated Press.
