Military Helicopter Forces Go-Arounds at Washington National Airport

On May 1, 2025, two airliners approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were instructed to go around because a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter was inbound to the Pentagon Army Heliport.

Republic Airways Embraer ERJ-170 N879RW was operating Delta Flight 5825 from Boston to Washington National. It was on the river approach and descending through about 450 feet mean sea level near the 14th Street Bridge when ATC instructed the crew to go around. The crew complied.

A second aircraft, Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 N364NB operating Flight 1671 from Orlando, was approaching Runway 19. It was around 700 feet MSL when ATC issued the same basic instruction: discontinue the approach and go around.

The FAA said the two go-arounds were required because of the priority military helicopter traffic inbound to the Pentagon Army Heliport. The NTSB subsequently announced that it was investigating the incidents.

Neither airliner collided with the helicopter. Both crews followed the instructions and remained in the traffic pattern while the airport's controllers managed the changing sequence.

Both aircraft landed safely on Runway 19 about ten minutes later. The immediate safety objective was therefore achieved: the arriving airliners were separated from the helicopter operation and were then returned to the landing sequence.

The incident illustrates the importance of go-arounds as an ordinary safety tool. A go-around does not necessarily mean an approach has failed because of an aircraft problem. Sometimes the correct action is simply to discontinue the approach because another aircraft needs protected airspace.

The exact circumstances and any broader procedural questions belong to the FAA/NTSB review. What is clear from the operational sequence is that two airline crews received the instruction, complied, and completed their landings safely.

The FAA described the reason for the manoeuvre directly: due to a Priority Air Transport helicopter inbound to the Pentagon Army Heliport.

Accident Facts

Sources

FAA — https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-statement-reagan-washington-national-airport

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeGB2T95dyk