A U.S. Coast Guard jet carrying Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin was forced to make an emergency landing at Washington Reagan National Airport on Thursday after one of its engines failed.
The aircraft, a C-37A military version of a Gulfstream V jet, experienced a right engine failure, prompting the pilot to declare an emergency and request an immediate landing. Air traffic control recordings shared by Mullin captured the pilot calmly reporting the issue and stating there were 14 people on board.
The plane landed safely and was inspected by Airports Authority Fire and Rescue personnel before taxiing off the runway. Mullin later took to social media to express his gratitude to the pilots.
"The United States Coast Guard pilots made the single engine landing feel routine," Mullin posted on X. "No panic, just straight professionalism. After we landed, the pilots told me that was a first for them! We could not have been in better hands."
The Department of Homeland Security referred The Daily Mail to Mullin's tweet when reached for comment.
The jet is used to transport DHS and Coast Guard personnel. In the past, the DHS under the Trump administration, specifically mentioning Kristi Noem's stewardship, had warned that the aircraft used by the Coast Guard were becoming old and obsolete. A former spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, stated last year that the current CG-101 G550 was over 20 years old, outside of Gulfstream’s service life, and had exceeded operational usage hours for a corporate aircraft, raising safety concerns. At the time, it was noted that the Coast Guard had only two Long-Range Command and Control Aircraft available for key leadership transportation and communications.