Mix-up Caused Reagan Escort Copter to Fly Near Private Plane

One of four helicopters carrying President Reagan’s entourage last week flew within 500 feet of a private plane after a communications mix-up briefly kept the copter’s pilot from contacting air traffic controllers, officials said Monday.

The incident, which did not directly involve the helicopter carrying Reagan from Manhattan to Newark International Airport on Sept. 21, has prompted a review by the Federal Aviation Administration of its air traffic handling of the President’s helicopters.

Danger Discounted

FAA and White House spokesmen acknowledged the communications mix-up but denied that the escort helicopter and the private twin-engine plane were in danger of colliding.

“At no time was safety compromised . . . nor was the President’s helicopter, Marine One, involved in the incident,” FAA spokesman Bob Buckhorn said.

“There were no mid-air collision reports filed. It was a perfectly safe operation,” he added. He said computer tapes were being reviewed to determine exactly how close the two craft had come.

Rep. Guy V. Molinari (R-N.Y.) said FAA officials have told him that the escort helicopter and the plane came within 400 to 500 feet of each other as both were making an approach into the Newark, N. J., airport.

Officials said the problem occurred when controllers in the Newark tower failed to inform the controllers relieving them that the presidential helicopters, which had flown from Newark to Manhattan earlier in the day, had been assigned a special radio frequency.

When the helicopters lifted off from Manhattan, the pilot of the lead escort helicopter could not raise the control tower on the special frequency and finally switched to the regular frequency. The controller on duty expected the helicopters to contact the tower on the normal frequency.

The helicopter was carrying Secret Service agents and White House staff members, officials said. Marine One carrying Reagan was described as about five miles from the private plane.

Addressed U.N.

Reagan was in New York City for a speech at the United Nations. The four helicopters flew the entourage from Newark, where Air Force One had landed, to Manhattan and back again.

When Reagan flew to California last month for his summer vacation, a small private plane strayed into restricted airspace and came within 150 feet of his military helicopter. In that case, the air traffic control system worked and the President’s pilot was warned to take evasive action.