Strange Chemical Odor at FAA Facility Forces Ground Stop at DC-Area Airports

On Friday, March 13, 2026, a "strong chemical smell" at an FAA facility in Virginia triggered a multi-hour ground stop for three major Washington-area airports and Richmond International Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the incident originated at the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility located in Warrenton, Virginia, approximately 50 miles outside of the nation’s capital.

According to CNBC and WUSA9, the odor caused air traffic controllers to feel sick, requiring them to be relocated to a backup facility.

The Potomac TRACON is a central hub for regional aviation management. Unlike individual airport towers that handle immediate takeoffs and landings, this facility manages the broader airspace and consolidates communications for multiple busy airways.

Built by Lockheed Martin and completed in December 2002, the facility was designed to handle more than two million flights annually. It provides air traffic control services for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Richmond International Airport (RIC), and Andrews Air Force Base (ADW). The facility is owned and operated by the FAA.

The disruption began shortly before 5:00 p.m. EDT, when ground stops were implemented at BWI, DCA, and IAD. During the height of the event, Dulles International reported departure delays of 90 minutes and increasing. The FAA's alert page initially estimated the ground stops would last until 7:00 p.m.

By 7:45 p.m., the FAA confirmed that ground stops at all three major D.C.-area airports, as well as Richmond International, had been lifted. However, flight delays persisted through the night. The FAA website indicated that Reagan National remained under a ground delay until 11:59 p.m., while BWI and Dulles were scheduled for delays until 12:59 a.m. Saturday. Philadelphia International Airport also reported ground delays on Friday evening, citing "equipment outages" as the cause.

This is another event in a series of recent disruptions in the area. On Thursday, the discovery of a suspicious package at DCA resulted in the evacuation of the airport's D concourse.

FAA spokesperson Donnell Evans confirmed in an email that the chemical odor at the Warrenton facility impacted several air traffic controllers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the situation on the social media platform X, stating that the FAA was actively working to identify and address the source of the strong odor. While the facility sits within Fauquier County, local fire and rescue and the sheriff's office were noted as the local agencies serving the area.

Impact on Travelers

The suspension of regional air traffic led to significant overcrowding at terminal gates. At BWI, stranded travelers reported that sit-down dining options were at capacity, and many passengers were forced to sit on the floor due to a lack of available seating. Some passengers attempted to book Amtrak tickets as an alternative, but all trains were found to be fully booked.

Flight tracking data from FlightAware estimated specific departure delays at the time ground stops were lifted: 1 hour and 31 minutes at BWI, 1 hour and 25 minutes at Reagan National, and 1 hour and 4 minutes at Dulles. Although boarding resumed for some flights just before 7:00 p.m., the FAA noted that total delays of three hours or more remained in effect for some flights into Saturday morning.