Probe links White House construction to Trump helicopter close call

An investigation by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has linked ongoing construction work at the White House to a close call involving US President Donald Trump's helicopter and a passenger plane. According to the NTSB's preliminary report, released on Thursday, the helicopter passed too close to the plane over Washington on August 4 while Trump was taking off from a temporary site on the Ellipse.

The NTSB cited FAA estimates that the two aircraft were only 0.82 miles (1.3 km) apart horizontally and 700 feet (213 m) apart vertically, which is less than the required minimum separation of 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and 500 feet (152 m). The report also highlighted a communication issue at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where air traffic controllers did not receive the initial radio transmission about Marine One's imminent departure and the second attempt was unreadable.

This inadequate line of sight made it difficult to ensure communication between the radio transmitter/receiver and The Ellipse, where Marine One was temporarily operating while the White House construction was underway. The incident bears a chilling resemblance to a fatal collision in January that saw a passenger plane approach the same airport and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, resulting in the loss of 67 lives.