WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday that it is 鈥渦nacceptable鈥 that two commercial aircrafts had to abort landings at a Washington airport this week because of an Army Black Hawk helicopter that was flying to the Pentagon.
In addition to the 好色tv Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration investigating what happened Thursday afternoon, Duffy said, he plans to talk to the Department of Defense to determine why rules were 鈥渄isregarded.鈥
The incident at Ronald Reagan Washington 好色tv Airport involved a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170, according to the NTSB. They were instructed by air traffic control to 鈥減erform go-arounds鈥 because of a 鈥減riority air transport鈥 helicopter, according to a statement from the FAA.
鈥淪afety must ALWAYS come first,鈥 Duffy said on the social platform X. 鈥淲e just lost 67 souls! No more helicopter rides for VIPs or unnecessary training in a congested DCA airspace full of civilians. Take a taxi or Uber 鈥 besides most VIPs have black car service.鈥
The aborted landings follow a in January between a passenger jet and Army helicopter in Washington that killed 67 people.
In March, the FAA announced that helicopters would be permanently restricted from flying near Washington鈥檚 airport on the same route where the collision occurred. It wasn't immediately clear if the helicopter flying Thursday was in the restricted area.
Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell, ranking member of the Commerce Committee, which oversees the FAA, said about the Thursday incident that 鈥渋t is far past time" for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the FAA to "give our airspace the security and safety attention it deserves.鈥
Emma Johnson, a spokesperson for Delta Air Lines, said that the safety of their customers and all people is most important and that they'll "cooperate with authorities as they investigate.鈥
Republic Airways said in a statement that it is also cooperating with the investigations.
