Flights at Richmond International Airport were temporarily halted Friday after a strong odor was reported at a Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control facility in Northern Virginia that manages regional aircraft movement.
According to the FAA, a chemical smell was detected inside the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility in Warrenton, Virginia, which oversees aircraft arriving and departing from several airports across the region, including Richmond.
Because the Warrenton facility coordinates airspace for much of the Washington metropolitan area and surrounding airports, the issue triggered a ground stop affecting multiple airports, including:
- Richmond International Airport (RIC)
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
- Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
- Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI)
A ground stop prevents aircraft from departing while air traffic control systems and staffing are evaluated.
Initial FAA alerts described the situation as an equipment outage, but officials later confirmed the disruption was connected to the odor inside the Warrenton radar facility.
Air traffic controllers were reportedly relocated within the building while officials assessed the situation, reducing the facility’s operating capacity and leading to delays across the regional airspace network.
Because Richmond’s airport operates within the same air traffic control region as Washington-area airports, disruptions at the Potomac TRACON facility can quickly affect flights traveling through central Virginia.
Travelers at Richmond International Airport may experience delays or schedule adjustments even after the ground stop is lifted, as airlines work to reposition aircraft and clear a backlog of flights.
The FAA has not yet announced the source of the odor or whether any injuries were reported.
Updates are expected as federal officials continue investigating the cause of the incident.
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