Controllers warned Marine One pilots about communication issues week before dual takeoff, NTSB says

Federal investigators revealed on Thursday that communication issues plagued air traffic controllers in the days leading up to a close call between President Donald Trump's Marine One helicopter and an Envoy Air jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. During a meeting the week before the incident, controllers and Marine One pilots discussed the ongoing radio problems, attempting to relay calls through others if issues persisted.

However, their efforts failed on the day of the Aug. 4 incident. On Thursday, air traffic controllers struggled to hear Marine One and had to request assistance from a support helicopter before takeoff, as captured in recordings. The issue arose following the president's move to a new location for Marine One's takeoffs due to ongoing White House construction.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) preliminary report indicates that controllers didn't receive the standard three-minute warning call before Marine One's departure, leading to the airliner's clearance. Despite prior awareness of the communication issues, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) claimed they addressed the root cause by relocating the radio receiver to the top of the tower at Reagan Airport.

Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti noted that while controllers acknowledged previous communication problems, they failed to identify the underlying cause. The FAA stated that immediate action was taken after the incident by shifting the antenna to enhance communication between the airport and Marine One pilots. The White House declined to comment on the preliminary report, as the NTSB investigation limits their statements.