Army completes review of May 1 DCA flight event

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army has concluded its internal review of the May 1, 2025, air traffic incident involving Army helicopter PAT 23 and two commercial aircraft on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

After a thorough review of air traffic control (ATC) communications, flight procedures, and the event timeline, the Army found no deviations from approved flight paths and no risk of intersecting air traffic. The helicopter, a UH-60M Black Hawk operating under call sign PAT 23, was landing at the Pentagon at the time of the incident and was not carrying any passengers.

The aircraft’s location was continuously broadcast via its Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) Out system throughout the flight.

DCA ATC directed go-arounds for two commercial aircraft—Delta 1671 and RPA 5825—out of an apparent abundance of caution. The first go-around occurred before PAT 23 arrived at the Pentagon helipad and was the result of an issue with sequencing of air traffic by DCA Tower. The second occurred during PAT 23’s subsequent traffic pattern and was based on conflicting positional data from legacy tracking systems.

Upon its first approach, PAT 23 initiated a go-around due to a delay in clearance from the Pentagon Tower. The maneuver was executed in accordance with standard procedures and communicated directly to DCA Tower.

The Army supports ongoing efforts to modernize air traffic control systems, including initiatives led by Secretary Duffy to address inconsistencies caused by legacy technologies.

“We are committed to safe and professional aviation operations in all airspace,” said Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, director of Army Aviation. “We continue to work closely with the FAA to update procedures prior to resuming Pentagon flight operations in support of national security missions.”