Ground Stops Ordered For DC-Area Airports

Federal Aviation Administration officials issued ground stops for flights to multiple airports in the Washington, D.C., region Friday after evacuating a key air traffic control facility in Virginia.

The ground stop impacts Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), Washington Dulles International (IAD), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI), Charlottesville‑Albemarle, and Richmond International airports. FAA data shows DCA is under a ground delay from 7:48 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. local time with average delays of 73 minutes, while BWI departures are delayed around 15 minutes and increasing.

Officials noted that flights could be held on the ground or in the air as the FAA manages traffic across the region. The agency is actively monitoring the situation and will provide updates as conditions change.

🚨 BREAKING: Potomac TRACON, the key radar facility handling D.C. airspace, has been evacuated to “ATC ZERO” according to FAA alerts. The FAA is now implementing ground stops for flights to Reagan National, Dulles, BWI, Charlottesville and Richmond airports. — Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) March 27, 2026

The disruption stems from an “environmental” incident at the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility in Warrenton, Va., ABC 7 reported. The facility, which manages roughly 20,000 square miles of airspace, directs a large portion of the region’s flights, serving as a critical hub for travel in and out of the nation’s capital.

Officials said the evacuation prompted the immediate switch to “ATC ZERO,” effectively halting operations at the radar center, according to CNN Correspondent covering aviation and transportation Pete Muntean. Potomac TRACON is responsible for coordinating complex arrivals and departures in the D.C. corridor, and the temporary shutdown underscores the vulnerability of the airspace system to unexpected incidents. (RELATED: Secretary Duffy, FAA Announce Restoration Of ‘Normal Operations,’ Termination Of Emergency Flight Reduction Order)

Earlier this month, the FAA temporarily halted flights at major D.C.-area airports after a strong chemical odor forced evacuation at the Potomac TRACON air traffic control facility. The ground stop affected Reagan National, Dulles, BWI, and Richmond airports, disrupting arrivals and departures across the region.

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