WASHINGTON — An Air Force helicopter experiencing mechanical troubles made an emergency landing next to an Alexandria school Thursday morning, city police say. The helicopter landed on a field next to William Ramsay Elementary School on Sanger Avenue about 10:30 a.m. Air Force Captain Joe Evans says the chopper with seven aboard landed as a precaution during a routine training mission after a warning light indicated a transmission problem. “We were talking with Reagan National tower. We told them we had an emergency and we were going to set down,” Evans says. “In this case, our goal was just to get on the ground as quickly as possible.” The helicopter was near the field at the time and flew over the school once to make sure the area was clear and safe to land, he says. Evans says he was told that the students watched them land through the school windows. Students in a gym class were allowed to go outside and see the helicopter after the class’ teacher asked the pilot for permission, school officials say. School officials tweeted a photo of a group of students sitting cross-legged and looking up at an adult in a military uniform who appeared to be addressing the children. No students were outside at the time the helicopter landed, according to school officials. No one was injured, city police say. Two pilots and five chaplains were on board, Evans says. A maintenance crew inspected the aircraft and determined the warning light was a false alarm. No repairs were needed and the chopper was able to continue on to Andrews Air Force Base after 1 p.m.
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WTOP’s Neal Augenstein contributed to this report from Alexandria.
