Marine One loss of separation investigated in Washington

US authorities are investigating a reported loss of separation between Marine One, carrying Donald Trump, and a commercial aircraft departing Washington National Airport on August 4.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating the reported incident. The Federal Aviation Administration said the air traffic controller was in contact with both the commercial pilot and the Marine One pilot during the loss of separation.

The New York Times, citing two people familiar with the matter, reported that Marine One came within less than a mile of a passenger plane above Washington after garbled communications with air traffic controllers.

Kush Desai, a White House spokesman, told AFP that Marine One flights are flown by “some of the best aviators in the world” and that “at no point was the president in harm's way.” The FAA also said the president was never in danger and that it was reviewing the incident.

The Wall Street Journal reported that safety measures in such circumstances require at least 1.5 miles of horizontal separation and 500 feet of vertical separation. It said the incident occurred around 2:30 pm, when an American Airlines Embraer E-170 operated by Envoy Air took off.

The helicopter was heading to Andrews Air Force Base, where Trump boarded his presidential aircraft to travel to California. American Airlines and the US Marine Corps did not immediately respond to requests for comment.