tech
Marine One pilots knew about communication issues before close call
The pilots of Marine One tried to resolve communication issues in a meeting with air traffic controllers from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport five days before the presidential transport helicopter departed at the same time as a passenger jet, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board on Thursday.
TL;DR
- Marine One pilots met with air traffic controllers five days before the August 4 incident to discuss "spotty" radio communication.
- Both sides agreed to an alternative contact method, but it failed during the August 4 departure.
- Marine One took off around the same time as an Envoy Air passenger jet, requiring a brief delay of the helicopter.
- The incident occurred because Marine One departed from the Ellipse due to construction at the White House.
- The FAA stated the incident "didn’t appear to be a dangerous close call," with a closest distance of 0.82 nautical miles laterally and 700 feet vertically.
- The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report, and its investigation is ongoing.