A U.S. Air Force helicopter assigned to the elite 1st Helicopter Squadron made an emergency landing in Northwest Washington, D.C., just steps from the German Embassy on Monday night.
The helicopter, a UH-1N Huey, touched down in a grassy area near Foxhall Road and Whitehaven Parkway around 9:25–10:15 p.m. near the Georgetown Reservoir.
All four crew members walked away unharmed from the incident, which is the second in just 13 days for the squadron's UH-1Ns.
The 1st Helicopter Squadron's UH-1Ns are the primary aircraft used to shuttle senior government and military officials around the National Capital Region and support continuity-of-government missions.
The squadron's UH-1Ns are known for their reliability, but recent incidents have raised concerns about the age and maintenance of the aircraft.
On or around June 29–30, another UH-1N from the exact same squadron reportedly made a precautionary hard landing in a field near Union Bridge, Maryland, due to mechanical issues.
That aircraft later flew back to Andrews without any reported injuries, but the latest incident has sparked renewed questions about the safety and maintenance of the squadron's UH-1Ns.
The U.S. Air Force has not released any official statements on the incident or the status of the aircraft, but an investigation is likely underway.
