Supplemental Info:

Air traffic has been halted at three major DC-area airports—Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), Washington Dulles International (IAD), and Baltimore-Washington International (BWI)—due to a ground stop issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The cause is a strong chemical smell reported at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility in Warrenton, Virginia, which is impacting some air traffic controllers. Potomac TRACON serves as the primary ATC center managing arrivals, departures, and approach sequencing for the entire Washington metro region, including these three busy airports (plus Richmond International in some cases).

The FAA temporarily paused departures while controllers addressed the issue; the stop was initially described as an “equipment outage” but clarified as odor-related. Flights already airborne continue normally, but inbound aircraft face diversions and significant delays.

The ground stop is expected to last until at least 7 p.m., with operations resuming once the facility is cleared and safe.