DC-Area Airport Delays Lifted After Chemical Smell Investigation

Flights at three major Washington, D.C.-area airports – Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport – resumed operations Friday evening after a ground stop was lifted following a “strong chemical smell” at a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) facility in Virginia. Richmond International Airport was similarly affected.

Ground Stop and Investigation

The ground stop initially went into effect around 5:30 p.m. On March 13, 2026, impacting air travel across the region, including Charlottesville-Albemarle and Richmond International airports. The FAA attributed the disruption to a chemical odor detected at the Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control (TRACON) in Virginia, which manages air traffic for the Baltimore-Washington and Richmond-Charlottesville areas .

Source of the Odor Identified

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced via X (formerly Twitter) that the source of the smell was traced to an overheated circuit board at the Potomac TRACON facility. The faulty board was replaced, and air traffic controllers were cleared to return to the building . Fauquier County Fire Rescue System and Prince William County’s hazardous materials team responded to the incident .

Impact on Travelers

The disruption occurred during a peak travel period, causing significant delays for passengers. Between 25% and one-third of all departing flights from the affected airports were delayed . Travelers reported being stranded on tarmacs and in crowded airport terminals. Some passengers on Southwest flights experienced delays of several hours before reboarding could start .

Minimal Injuries Reported

While some employees at the TRACON facility reported “mild symptoms” after exposure to the odor, no injuries requiring hospitalization were reported. Emergency Medical Services evaluated the affected personnel on-site .

Ripple Effects Expected

Transportation reporter Tom Roussey noted that the delays were expected to have ripple effects throughout the night and potentially into the following day, due to the interconnected nature of flight scheduling .