Odor Disrupts Washington DC-Area Airport Operations Again

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted operations at major Washington, DC-area airports due to an odor detected at a Virginia air traffic control facility. This incident, the second in two weeks, forced evacuation and resulted in flight delays and diversions. An update was expected later from the FAA.

Washington, DC's primary airports faced flight disruptions on Friday evening due to an odor detected at a Virginia air traffic control facility, confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The issue led to the evacuation of the Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control (TRACON), which oversees airspace in the region, halting operations.

This marks the second time in two weeks that a similar odor has disrupted traffic at the Warrenton-based facility. A source mentioned that the smell resembled an ongoing issue related to an overheated circuit board that caused an earlier shutdown on March 13. This recurring problem is affecting air traffic significantly.

Flight tracking site Flightradar24 reported that inbound flights were either on hold or being diverted, while departure activities stalled since 6:40 p.m. EDT. FlightAware noted considerable delays with 25% of flights at Baltimore and National and 11% at Dulles marginally affected. The FAA planned to provide an update later in the evening.

(With inputs from agencies.)