White House Construction Persisted Until Presidential Helicopter and Plane Came Close

According to federal investigators, radio problems stemming from ongoing construction at the White House prevented controllers from hearing the takeoff of President Donald Trump's helicopter in time, resulting in a close pass with a passenger plane near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Construction and Radio Problems

According to statements by federal investigators, ongoing construction work at the White House caused radio problems that prevented air traffic controllers from being notified of President Donald Trump's helicopter preparation for takeoff.

Previous Meetings

The week before the president's helicopter came too close to an Envoy Air jet, air traffic controllers and Marine One pilots met regarding standard three-minute warning calls to discuss potential issues.

Inconclusive Measures Taken

Although the parties made plans for calls to be relayed through another person in the event of future radio communication issues, this method also failed on the day of the August 4 incident.

Technical Reviews and Resolution

Technicians determined that the reason Marine One had difficulty communicating with the tower was that the helicopter had been moved to a new location during the White House construction, and the Federal Aviation Administration relocated the radio receiver.

Distance and Security Status

The National Transportation Safety Board reported that at their closest point, the helicopter and the plane were about 0.8 miles apart laterally and about 700 feet vertically, with officials emphasizing that the president was never in danger.