Marine One Triggered Reagan National Protocol Failure FAA Built to Stop Repeat Disasters

The FAA is investigating why an air traffic control team at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport failed to stop commercial departures on Tuesday as required by safety protocols designed to prevent a repeat of the 2025 Potomac River disaster, Reuters reported. A formal Safety Review Team may be convened to assess whether the breakdown was systemic. Marine One carrying President Donald Trump lifted off from the White House Ellipse at about 2:33 p.m. ET on August 4 for Joint Base Andrews. Under procedures enacted after last year’s fatal midair collision, controllers must receive at least three minutes of advance notice to halt commercial traffic roughly 4 miles from the Ellipse. The warning either wasn’t given or wasn’t acted upon.