Passengers faced lengthy delays at Washington, D.C.-area airports Friday evening after a “strong odor” at an air traffic control center was reported.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in an X post a ground stop was issued for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
He said the Federal Aviation Administration was working to find the source of a “strong odor” at the Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control, or TRACON, in Warrenton, Virginia.
More than two hours later, Duffy announced the ground stop had been lifted and “operations have resumed.”
Flights out of the three airports faced delays of one hour to more than three hours, according to multiple news reports. As of late Friday night, the delays at the D.C.-area airports have ended, per the FFA.
Passenger Kristen Rodrigues told CNN she was set to fly to Chicago early Friday afternoon, but she ended up getting stuck on the tarmac at Reagan Airport for hours before heading back to the terminal.
“Two hours go by, we’re still on the runway – no updates – and I could see that the pilots are pretty frustrated,” Rodrigues said.
There was also a ground stop at Richmond International Airport, Charlottesville Albemarle Airport and Manassas Regional Airport, all in Virginia, CNN reported.
Duffy said the smell was from an overheated circuit board that was later replaced.
“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,” Duffy wrote on X. “The source of the strong odor was traced to a circuit board that overheated, and it was replaced.”
During the commotion, Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, wrote on X he was “thinking of all workers impacted by this incident and praying for their health and safety.
“Thank you to all first responders addressing the situation.”
The Frauquier County Fire Rescue System said in a press release it, along with a Hazardous Materials Team from Prince William County, responded to the incident after FAA employees reported a “strong smell of chemicals.”
“The Hazardous Materials team identified a faulty building monitor being worked on by a contractor,” Fire Rescue System Chief Kalvyn Smith said in a statement.
More than 30 FAA employees were evaluated and none needed to be taken to the hospital.
