A key air traffic control facility serving the Washington, D.C. region was suddenly evacuated Friday, forcing the Federal Aviation Administration to halt flights to several major airports, according to CNN aviation correspondent Pete Muntean.
Muntean said on-air Friday that early information suggests smoke may have triggered the evacuation, though officials have not confirmed the cause.
The disruption affects Reagan National, Dulles, Baltimore/Washington International, Charlottesville, and Richmond airports. The FAA issued ground stops, meaning no flights can depart for those destinations for now, according to Muntean.
“Potomac TRACON, the key radar facility handling D.C. airspace, has been evacuated to ‘ATC ZERO’ according to FAA alerts,” Muntean wrote on X. “The FAA is now implementing ground stops for flights to Reagan National, Dulles, BWI, Charlottesville, and Richmond airports.”
The FAA has not said how long the disruption will last.🚨 BREAKING: Potomac TRACON, the key radar facility handling D.C. airspace, has been evacuated to “ATC ZERO” according to FAA alerts. The FAA is now implementing ground stops for flights to Reagan National, Dulles, BWI, Charlottesville and Richmond airports.
— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) March 27, 2026
