Planes forcedto 'go-arounds' after Army helicopter's 'scenic' route to Pentagon

The skies over D.C. just got a little too wild for comfort. In a move that screams “rules are for suckers,” a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter decided to play tourist over the Pentagon, forcing two commercial flights to pull a “not today” and circle back for safer landings. This wasn’t just a minor oops—it’s the kind of thing that makes you wonder if someone’s trying to turn Reagan National into an action movie set.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, which is now digging into this mess alongside the FAA, a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 (Flight 1671) and a Republic Airways Embraer E170 (Flight 5825) were told to hit the brakes—mid-air—around 2:30 p.m. EST on Thursday. Why? Because this Black Hawk was apparently taking the long way home to the Pentagon from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, looping around the south and east sides like it was sightseeing. 

The Washington Post got hold of an FAA summary that called the route “scenic.” Scenic! As if this chopper was out there snapping selfies with the Lincoln Memorial.

Now, let’s talk numbers: Flight 1671, carrying 97 passengers and five crew from Orlando, had to abort its landing first. Then, Flight 5825 came within a half mile of kissing this Black Hawk, which was cruising just 200 feet below it. Oh, and for a few heart-stopping seconds, the helicopter’s radar tracker went dark. Because nothing says “everything’s fine” like a military chopper going stealth in one of the busiest airspaces in the country.

The FAA insists the helicopter didn’t stray into newly restricted airspace—put in place after a horrific mid-air collision earlier this year between a commercial plane and another Black Hawk that killed 67 people. 

But that’s cold comfort when you’re a passenger on a plane dodging a military joyride. U.S. Army spokesperson Capt. Victoria Goldfedib told NBC News the chopper was “in accordance with published FAA flight routes and DCA Air Traffic Control,” but an anonymous Army official scoffed at the “scenic” label. Sure, buddy, it was just business as usual, not a Pentagon parade.

Enter Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who is, shall we say, not amused. 

Duffy called the incident “unacceptable” and laid it out plain: “Our helicopter restrictions around DCA are crystal clear. Safety must ALWAYS come first. We just lost 67 souls! No more helicopter rides for VIPs or unnecessary training in a congested DCA airspace full of civilians. Take a taxi or Uber -- besides most VIPs have black car service.” Preach, Sean! He’s vowing to have a come-to-Jesus chat with the Defense Department about “why the hell” the rules were “disregarded.” 

I’d love to be a fly on the wall for that one.

Look, I get it—military helicopters are cool, and the Pentagon’s a big deal. But this isn’t Top Gun. We’re talking about civilian planes packed with families, business travelers, and probably a few folks just trying to get home to their dogs. The skies around D.C. are congested enough without some hotshot pilot turning it into their personal playground. Duffy’s right: if you’re a VIP, call your driver. If you’re training, find a less crowded sandbox. And for the love of all that’s holy, keep your radar on. We’ve got enough drama on the ground without adding near-misses in the air.

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