March 13, 2026 — Warrenton, Va. The FAA ground stop at Reagan National (DCA), Dulles (IAD), and BWI airports due to strong chemical odor at Potomac TRACON halted departures at three major Washington-area airports after air traffic controllers reported a strong chemical smell at the local Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility, prompting a safety-related shutdown around 4:50 p.m. ET.
The incident affected operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International (IAD), Baltimore-Washington International (BWI), and nearby Richmond International (RIC). The FAA confirmed the disruption stemmed from the odor impacting controllers, leading to evacuations and a pause in regional airspace management.
Cause of the Disruption
Reports indicated the strong chemical odor originated from an overheated circuit board at the TRACON facility. An FAA spokesperson stated traffic was halted “because of a strong chemical smell at the Potomac TRACON that is impacting some air traffic controllers,” as cited in early social media updates and news reports.
“Strong chemical smell” causing ground stop at BWI, DCA, IAD airports.
Flight Impacts
The FAA ground stop at Reagan National (DCA), Dulles (IAD), and BWI airports due to strong chemical odor at Potomac TRACON resulted in delays of up to three hours or more at affected airports, with some persisting into the night and until around 1 a.m. ET. Flight tracking data from FlightAware showed 30-34% of flights delayed. Passengers at BWI described long waits, according to local coverage.
Resolution and Official Statements
Ground stops were lifted between 7:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET after the circuit board was addressed and controllers returned to duty. Operations began normalizing, as observed on-site at IAD.
“Officials indicate the chemical odor issue at the Potomac TRACON facility appears to have been resolved. Operations are beginning to normalize.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy referenced the issue on X, noting the FAA was addressing the odor source at Potomac TRACON, per WTOP News. The FAA continues investigating, with no injuries reported.
Early reporting highlighted the event’s rapid spread on social media:
“The FAA has halted operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) due to a strong chemical odor at the Potomac TRACON.”
This FAA ground stop at Reagan National (DCA), Dulles (IAD), and BWI airports due to strong chemical odor at Potomac TRACON underscores air traffic control vulnerabilities. For related FAA challenges, see Aeronautics Online sitemap.
