Helicopters of DC

Notable Incidents

Fatal Crashes

Over the years, there have been 13 helicopter crashes in the District of Columbia most recently in 2006. 3 of the 13 resulted in fatalities.

MPD Crash - June 5, 1979

The first fatal helicopter crash in the District of Columbia took place on a Tuesday afternoon in Southeast DC. A Bell 47 helicopter (a model familiar to some from the opening credits of MAS*H) carried two DC police officers who were flying low, in support of police on the ground who were seemingly chasing a burgler. The helicopter was flying at a low altitude when the pilot may have failed to follow procedure or maintain attention, and lost control. After hitting powerlines and crashing to the ground on the 700 block of Yuma St SE, near what was then an elementary school and now is Washington Highland Recreation Center, the helicopter burst into flame. Despite efforts of passersby who came to the officers’ aid, neither survived.

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Photography Flight - August 21, 1987

The second fatal helicopter crash in DC history took place during a chartered flight for a photo shoot commissioned by a real estate firm. The helicopter - a Bell 206 - was flying low over the Potomac River, specifically the Washington Channel area between the District Wharf/Southwest Waterfront and the East Potomac Park. It seemingly encountered an engine issue, which was complicated by inadvisable piloting choices (namely flying too low and thus less able to control its descent). The helicopter crashed into the water and floated but was upside down. The pilot was able to free himself and survived, but the three passengers onboard all perished. In addition to the photographer, the other passengers included an employee of the real estate firm and a friend of the photographer’s who had tagged along for the experience.

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Medevac Flight - May 30, 2006

The third and most recent fatal helicopter crash in DC took place in 2006 near Washington Hospital Center. A patient from what was then Greater Southeast Community Hospital in southeast DC (now United Medical Center) was in “extremely critical” condition and needed to be transported to the larger Irving Street hospital. The pilot attempted several times to land at the helipads on the far western side of the campus. After facing difficulties, an earlier pilot error resulted in a situation that made the helicopter increasingly hard to control. As he lost control, the pilot purposefully maneuvered so as to land in the nearby golf course in the southwest corner of the Armed Forces Retirement Home rather than several closer but possibly more populated areas. The pilot and 2 other crew survived the landing with relatively minor injuries, but the patient - who was already in very bad shape - suffered from the crash and delay in car while he was being removed from the crash site and driven to the nearby hospital and would eventually sucumb.

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Rescues

The US Park Police Aviation Unit has participated in numerous rescue and law enforcement encounters, but perhaps one of the most dramatic was in the aftermath of the 1982 crash of Air Florida Flight 90. The passenger airplane stalled and crashed shortly after takeoff from the National Airport, landing moments later in the frozen Potomac River. A confluence of tragic coincidences resulted in a Park Police helicopter and nearby motorists being the main source of rescue for the five survivors of the crash.

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Controversial Incidents

2019 Reflecting Pool Incident

The unit also participated in a controversial and arguably dangerous police action in February, 2019 when it hovered very low off of the ground to throw up snow and scare off people who were ice skating on the frozen reflecting pool on the National Mall.

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2020 BLM Protests Incident

In April 2020, amid national outrage at the killing of George Floyd, substantial protests took place in Washington, DC. The president made of point of directing law enforcement and the military that he desired a substantial show of force in response. At one point, two DC National Guard helicopters performed a dangerous maneuver intended to disperse protesters, hovering at just roughly 50’ over the crowds and resulting in tremendous winds.