March 13, 2026 — New Baltimore, Va. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at three DC-area airports—Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), Dulles International (IAD), and Baltimore-Washington International (BWI)—due to a “strong odor” at the Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control (TRACON) air traffic control facility around 5:30 p.m. ET, impacting controllers and prompting a hazmat response.
The FAA FAA issues ground stop at three DC-area airports (DCA, IAD, BWI) due to a “strong odor” at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) air traffic control facility on March 13, 2026, as confirmed by multiple reports. The odor stemmed from an overheated circuit board in a faulty building monitor under repair by a contractor, leading to temporary evacuation and evaluation of over 30 FAA personnel for mild symptoms, though no injuries or medical transports occurred.
Incident and Response
Hazardous materials teams from Fauquier County and Prince William County responded after emergency crews were alerted at 5:46 p.m. The circuit board was replaced, and the facility was cleared safe, lifting the ground stop after about two hours, though ground delays persisted into the night.
The FAA has temporarily stopped traffic at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) because of a strong chemical smell at the Potomac TRACON that is impacting some air traffic controllers.
Fauquier County Fire Rescue System Chief Kalvyn Smith stated:
Units responded to a reported potential chemical spill, with personnel experiencing mild symptoms from an odor in the building. A Hazmat Team from mutual aid partner Prince William County was requested. The Hazardous Materials team identified a faulty building monitor being worked on by a contractor. Over 30 FAA non-fire department personnel on site were evaluated, with no requiring medical transport.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X:
🚨BREAKING🚨 GROUND STOP CURRENTLY AT THE FOLLOWING AIRPORTS: ⚠️ DCA ⚠️ IAD ⚠️ BWI ⚠️ RIC @FAANews is working to address the source of a strong odor coming from Potomac TRACON.
Richmond International (RIC) was also affected, along with others like Charlottesville-Albemarle (CHO).
Flight Disruptions
The ground stop caused widespread delays, with 25-33% of flights impacted, averages exceeding 150 minutes at BWI and 222 minutes at DCA. Passengers faced up to 3.5-hour delays, cancellations, and tarmac waits before deplaning. Ripple effects continued into March 14.
One traveler reported: “I came to the airport and when I got here, I got a message saying the flight was delayed again. And then, the latest update is it has been delayed almost three and a half hours.”
Another said: “On the other side, people are getting off the planes now. They’ve been sitting on the plane for, like, two hours on the jetway.”
The incident highlights air traffic control vulnerabilities at the Virginia facility, which serves the region.
