Despite the fact that the aircraft did not enter the restricted airspace zone, the danger was real, which caused the interested parties to seriously investigate this incident and verify the use of the ADS-B automatic system for monitoring, which had been criticized after the tragic incident in January. The Army, from its side, confirmed its intention to conduct comprehensive investigations to identify the exact causes of the incident, emphasizing the necessity of awaiting results before any allegations are made.
The incident occurred when the pilot chose a non-standard course around the Pentagon, as a result of which the helicopter flew dangerously close, reaching only 200 feet from one of the aircraft. According to the "New York Post", this incident occurred following a previous tragic incident just three months ago, when a helicopter from the same unit collided in the air with an American Airlines airplane, resulting in 67 fatalities.
The military helicopter Black Hawk was dangerously close to civilian aircraft at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington. The incident stirred a wave of sharp criticism from lawmakers and politicians, with the transportation secretary labeling it "unacceptable", while Senator Maria Cantwell called for enhanced safety measures in the airspace.
On Thursday, two commercial flights suddenly had to change their course to avoid a dangerous proximity to the helicopter. The federal agency of civilian aviation reported that both aircraft were less than two miles from the takeoff-landing strip at 14:30. The main problem was a temporary shutdown of the air traffic control system, which hindered dispatchers from accurately tracking the helicopter's position in real time.
