Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin was aboard a Coast Guard C-37A jet Wednesday when one of the aircraft's engines failed, forcing pilots to make an emergency landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The aircraft landed safely, and none of the 14 people on board were reported injured.
The pilot alerted air traffic controllers that the aircraft had lost its right engine and requested immediate landing. "We just lost our right engine and would like to declare an emergency and immediate landing at DCA," the pilot told the tower, according to an audio recording obtained by CBS News. Airports Authority Fire and Rescue personnel inspected the plane after it landed.
What the Right Is Saying
Mullin praised the Coast Guard pilots following the incident, calling their response exemplary. "The United States Coast Guard pilots made the single engine landing feel routine," Mullin said in a post 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."
DHS officials pointed to the incident as evidence supporting their long-standing argument that the Coast Guard's aging executive aircraft needs replacement. The department has warned since 2025 that the C-37A is suffering from aging avionics and communications systems, with officials arguing the plane is approaching or has exceeded its useful service life.
What the Left Is Saying
Senate Democrats have been scrutinizing DHS's aircraft acquisitions in recent months. In an August letter to Mullin, Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) questioned the department's acquisition of 12 aircraft, including five luxury jets used or being prepared for use by senior officials such as FBI Director Kash Patel and border czar Tom Homan. The senators argued that Congress never authorized DHS to purchase these aircraft and demanded records detailing purchases, flight logs, and associated costs.
"This incident raises additional questions about the condition of Coast Guard executive transport aircraft and why the department believes it needs a fleet of luxury jets when so many other homeland security priorities remain underfunded," a spokesperson for Murray said. The senators have not commented specifically on Wednesday's emergency landing but maintain that proper oversight procedures must be followed before any aircraft replacements are approved.
What the Numbers Show
The C-37A involved in Wednesday's incident entered Coast Guard service in 2002, making it approximately 23 years old. Government procurement documents describe the aircraft as facing increasing obsolescence and maintenance costs.
DHS initially requested roughly $50 million for a replacement aircraft. Those plans eventually expanded to acquiring two Gulfstream G700 aircraft at an estimated cost of $172 million. The Senate Appropriations Committee is currently reviewing whether Congress properly authorized these purchases, with Democrats arguing that no such authorization was granted.
The Bottom Line
The emergency landing adds urgency to DHS's push for new executive transport aircraft while simultaneously fueling Democratic concerns about the department's procurement practices. The cause of the engine failure remains under investigation, and it is not yet clear what role, if any, the aircraft's age played in the incident. Both sides are likely to cite Wednesday's events as evidence supporting their respective positions on DHS aviation spending and oversight.