The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued emergency ground stops for multiple airports in the Washington, D.C. region after the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) in Warrenton, Virginia, was evacuated and declared “ATC Zero,” CNN reported.
ATC Zero is an aviation term used when an air traffic control facility is unable to provide services due to staffing shortages, emergencies, or evacuations. In such situations, all inbound and outbound air traffic is halted or severely restricted.
Ground stops are a standard FAA response in these scenarios, ensuring aircraft are not sent into airspace that cannot be actively managed. The FAA's ground stop orders impacted major airports across the region, including Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Richmond International Airport, and Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport.
The evacuation of the Potomac TRACON was caused by a chemical odor within the building, prompting authorities to clear the area. The facility is in charge of 20,000 square miles of some of the most complicated airspace in the nation.
Aircraft have been grounded since the ground stops began at 6:30 p.m. ET and are set to conclude at 8:00 p.m. DCA is scheduled to resume at 8:30 p.m.
