FAA Issues Ground Stop at Four DC-Area Airports Over Chemical Odor at Potomac TRACON

On Friday evening, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop at four major Washington DC-area airports—Ronald Reagan Washington National, Washington Dulles International, Baltimore-Washington International, and Richmond International—due to a strong chemical odor detected at the Potomac TRACON air traffic control facility in Warrenton, Virginia. The halt, lasting over an hour, disrupted flights and caused delays of up to three hours. FAA and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed ongoing investigations to identify the odor's source while operations gradually resumed.