WASHINGTON— The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an investigation following two Delta Air Lines (DL) flights that aborted landings at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) on Thursday, May 1, 2025, due to a military helicopter headed to the Pentagon.
The incident involved Delta Air Lines (DL) Flight 1671, an Airbus A319 from Orlando International Airport (MCO), and Republic Airways Flight 5825, an Embraer 170 from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), both instructed to perform go-arounds at approximately 2:30 p.m.
Photo: By Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland – Delta Air Lines Airbus A319-114; N342NB@SLC;09.10.2011/621dl, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26713181Two Delta Flights Abort Landing at DCA
The recent landing aborts highlight growing safety concerns at the busy Washington D.C. terminal.
Air traffic controllers directed both commercial aircraft to execute go-around procedures when a priority military air transport helicopter entered the vicinity, creating potentially hazardous conditions in the airport’s crowded airspace.
Delta confirmed with Reuters that Flight 1671 carried 97 passengers and five crew members, stating: “Nothing is more important at Delta than the safety of our customers and people. We’ll cooperate with the FAA as they investigate.”
Republic Airways, operating as a Delta Connection partner, has not issued a formal statement regarding the incident.
Photo: NTSBHelicopter Restrictions
This incident follows significant changes to helicopter operations around Reagan National. In March, the FAA permanently closed one major flight route and prohibited the use of two smaller runways when helicopters on urgent missions operate near the airport.
These restrictions were implemented following a January 29 mid-air collision between an American Airlines (AA) regional jet and an Army helicopter that resulted in 67 fatalities.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported in March that since 2021, there have been 85 recorded near-miss events between helicopters and planes, defined as situations with lateral separation less than 1,500 feet and vertical separation below 200 feet.
Photo: Alan Wilson | FlickrIndustry Response
Airlines for America, representing major U.S. carriers including American Airlines, urged the FAA in March to permanently reduce helicopter traffic in the vicinity of Reagan National Airport. The organization advocated for the suspension of certain nearby helicopter routes, with limited exceptions for essential military operations or medical emergencies.
This incident adds to a series of safety concerns at Reagan National, including a March 28 incident involving another Delta flight and Air Force jets. The airport’s proximity to sensitive government locations—just four miles from Capitol Hill—makes it particularly challenging to manage competing airspace needs between commercial aviation and essential government operations.
The FAA has expanded its investigation to examine helicopter traffic patterns near other major airports across the country. Last week, the agency announced changes to address similar safety concerns at Las Vegas airports, indicating a broader national approach to the intersection of helicopter and commercial aircraft operations.
Photo: By Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland – United Airlines Boeing 737-900ER; N37419@LAX;10.10.2011/622ha, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26712819Similar Incidents
United Airlines (UA) executed a go-around procedure at Denver International Airport on April 22, 2025, after an Aeromexico aircraft failed to clear the active runway promptly.
FlightRadar24 data shows United Airlines flight UA2151 departed from Newark Liberty International Airport at 14:48 UTC. After approximately four hours in flight, the aircraft initiated final approach to Denver when air traffic controllers instructed the crew to abort their landing.
The go-around became necessary when a Boeing 737 MAX 9 operated by Aeromexico as flight AM658 remained on the active runway.
In a similar incident on March 28, 2025, American Airlines flight AA938 from Los Angeles International Airport to Charlotte Douglas International Airport performed an emergency go-around procedure at approximately 1:19 PM.
Air traffic controllers directed the Airbus A321 crew to abort their landing after identifying a small aircraft still occupying the designated runway. The airliner immediately executed a steep climb away from its approach path and entered a holding pattern for approximately 20 minutes before receiving clearance for a safe landing.
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