US Army pauses flights near DCA after aborted landings

Yahoo

06-05-2025

ARLINGTON, Va. (DC News Now) — The U.S. Army has paused flights near Reagan National Airport after two aborted landings last week due to a Black Hawk helicopter flying near the Pentagon.
This comes after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restricted helicopters and airplanes from flying around Reagan National Airport except under rare circumstances.
The FAA confirmed three commercial flights had to abort their landings at DCA earlier Monday while a police helicopter was on an urgent mission in that airspace.
'This airport was never meant to handle this large traffic,' said passenger Bill King. 'There's a lot of helicopter traffic coming up and down, so I know that control towers has their hands full.'
Police helicopter forces 3 flights to change landings at Reagan National Airport
The aborted landings raised even more concerns after the midair collision between an American Airlines flight and a U.S. Army helicopter that killed 67 people.
'I think this is kind of a repeat of the problem we just had which caused the tragedy a few months back,' said Aviation Attorney Jim Brachle. 'It's a congested airspace.'
'I think there should better communication between the military… and commercial— I think that needs to be done,' said passenger Arturo Lopez.
The U.S. Army commander of the 12th Aviation Battalion directed the unit to pause flight operations around DCA after the close calls on Thursday, two Army officials confirmed to the Associated Press.
Two flights abort landings at Reagan National Airport due to Black Hawk helicopter
The Army confirmed two commercial aircraft had to abort their landings because of a Black Hawk helicopter flying to the Pentagon.
'Now, the Pentagon's not on that route, it's on the other side of the airport, and so there has to be a deep dive and look at not just that route because that's where the tragedy occurred, but around the entire airport,' said Brachle.
Some passengers say they won't let the recent incidents stop them from flying.
'It didn't make me feel fearful or anxious,' said Lopez. 'I still feel that I can trust the airlines and the pilots, but it does make you a little uncomfortable, I would say.'
The United States Army says the incidents are under investigation and that it remains committed to aviation safety.
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