A U.S. Coast Guard aircraft carrying Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin made an emergency landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The pilots declared an emergency after the jet's right engine failed during a flight from Georgia to the Washington, D.C., area.
The C-37A jet, a military version of the Gulfstream V, departed Lawson Army Airfield near Columbus, Georgia, approximately 90 minutes before the incident occurred. According to air traffic control recordings, the pilot reported the loss of the right engine to the control tower at approximately 1:35 p.m. ET. The aircraft landed without further incident, and all 14 people on board, including Secretary Mullin and other DHS officials, were reported unharmed.
In a social media statement, Secretary Mullin praised the Coast Guard flight crew, stating they "made the single engine landing feel routine" and exhibited "straight professionalism." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) declined to comment, while the Coast Guard referred inquiries to DHS. The jet involved in the incident has been in active service since 2002 and is stationed at Air Station Washington.
The event involves the safety of federal leadership and the operational status of the U.S. Coast Guard’s command-and-control fleet, which is responsible for transporting the DHS Secretary and other officials.
The incident follows ongoing legislative discussions regarding the Coast Guard's budget. Last year, the agency sought $50 million for a new jet, with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stating at the time that the current G550 was "well beyond operational usage hours for a corporate aircraft" and termed the replacement "a matter of safety." However, the funding request faced opposition from lawmakers such as Rep. Bennie Thompson and Rep. LaMonica McIver, who argued that $50 million for a new jet would divert resources from the modernization of aging aircraft fleets used by service members for search and rescue and other missions.
As of now, the Coast Guard has not provided a specific date for a final report on the cause of the engine loss.