The Army on Monday said it's suspending helicopter flights around the nation's capital after two commercial airliners were forced to abort landings last week at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to avoid a Black Hawk heading for the Pentagon.
Two military spokespeople said the pause affects operations of Fort Belvoir, Virginia's 12th Aviation Battalion, which is responsible for evacuating political VIPs in an emergency, according to Politico.
CBS News reported that the Joint Emergency Evacuation Plan, or JEEP, mission last week was the same operation and unit involved in the Jan. 29 midair collision with an American Airlines flight that killed 67 people. The Army had a four-week plan to resume those missions, and last week was the first, according to CBS News.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy took to social media on Friday to call the incidents "unacceptable" after a Federal Aviation Administration email said the Black Hawk "took a scenic route around the Pentagon versus proceeding directly from the west to the heliport," according to the reports.
"Our helicopter restrictions around DCA are crystal clear. In addition to investigations from @NTSB and @FAANews, I'll be talking to the @DeptofDefense to ask why the hell our rules were disregarded," Duffy said in a post to X.
He added: "No more helicopter rides for VIPs or unnecessary training in a congested DCA airspace full of civilians. Take a taxi or Uber."
Army spokeswoman Heather Chairez said the 12th Aviation Battalion was suspending the operations pending an internal inquiry.
The FAA had already shut down some helicopter routes near Reagan National in the aftermath of the Jan. 29 collision and imposed restrictions on helicopter traffic around the airport. The Pentagon's helipad is just outside the restricted area, The Washington Post reported.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the Army "once again" was "putting the traveling public at risk."
"I believe it's time for the FAA to act swiftly and assert control over the national airspace so the Army stops running air taxis for military officials near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport," he posted Friday on X.
Thursday's incident involved a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. They were instructed around 2:30 p.m. by air traffic control to "perform go-arounds" because of a "priority air transport" helicopter, according to an emailed statement from the FAA.
The NTSB said it would probe last week's close calls as it continues its inquiry into the fatal collision in January, the Post reported. The FAA is also investigating last week's incidents.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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