Four airports serving Washington, Baltimore and Richmond halted all flights tonight (Friday) for over an hour because of a strong chemical smell that was impeding air traffic controllers, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The ground stop affected Reagan National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport and Richmond International Airport, FAA Secretary Sean Duffy said. The declaration caused flight delays to soar to roughly two hours across some of the busiest airports in the country.
Flights began to leave the airports after 7 p.m. on Friday, but the ground stop — which prevents planes from landing at an airport — remained in place.
The smell was coming from Potomac TRACON, Duffy wrote, referring to a terminal radar approach control facility in Warrenton, Virginia that manages air traffic for the Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Richmond and Richmond-Charlottesville areas, according to the FAA website.
Just before 9 p.m., Duffy said firefighters found the source of the smell.
“Firefighters from Fauquier County and Prince William County confirm there is no danger to air traffic controllers, and they are returning to the Potomac TRACON,” he said on social media. “The source of the strong odor was traced to a circuit board that overheated, and it was replaced. Thank you for your patience as we get flights up and running again”
Reagan National said in a statement Friday evening that the airport “is open and operating” and that “significant delays and some cancellations can be expected for the remainder of Friday evening.”
Airport concessions will extend their hours this evening and TSA checkpoints will remain open to process outbound travelers until the final departure, though the south checkpoint in Terminal 2 will close around 9 p.m., the airport said. Airport parking facilities are open 24/7, including shuttle service.
The airport is no stranger to ground stops, which have been triggered in recent years by security threats, FAA staffing issues and severe weather.
A spokesperson for the FAA didn’t respond to an emailed question from the Associated Press clarifying how the smell was affecting traffic controllers on Friday evening. Between 25% and one-third of all flights departing from the four airports affected were delayed after the ground stop.
The airport advised passengers to check with their airlines for changes to scheduled flights.
UPDATE: We are now seeing flights taking off at both DCA and IAD. So, that's good news. https://t.co/wfScbDX7ai
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) March 13, 2026
UPDATE: The ground stop is over and operations have resumed.
Firefighters from Fauquier County and Prince William County confirm there is no danger to air traffic controllers, and they are returning to the Potomac TRACON. The source of the strong odor was traced to a circuit… https://t.co/6DwPLPw0OE
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) March 14, 2026
The Associated Press contributed to this report
