The Department of Defense is suspending helicopter training flights in the Washington, D.C., region, specifically near the Pentagon. This change comes just days after the Army resumed training flights in the area following January’s deadly midair collision between a Black Hawk and American Eagle CRJ-700.
On Thursday, two separate commercial flights—operated by Republic Airways and Delta Air Lines—were forced to go-around while on approach to Runway 19 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA).
An air traffic controller instructed the two aircraft to go around in order to avoid a Black Hawk helicopter, which was headed to the Pentagon, an FAA spokesperson said. The Black Hawk was operating under the Priority Air Transport (PAT) call sign, the same one involved in January’s accident.
Resuming Training
According to CBS News, the Army had a four-week plan to restart helicopter training in the region after the collision. This began just last week.
Now, flights will be halted again into the Pentagon, Politico reported. An Army spokesperson told the outlet that this pause is pending an internal inquiry.
The suspension applies to operations in the Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion, the same unit involved in January’s accident.
This pause only pertains to flights into the Pentagon, which is located less than 2 miles from Reagan National.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is probing Thursday’s incident. The FAA stated that the Black Hawk crew did not follow published procedures, instead opting for a “scenic route.”
