Chemical Smell Forces Hour‑Long Ground Stop at Four Major Airports Near Washington, D.C.

Flights across some of the busiest airports on the US East Coast were disrupted Friday evening after a strong chemical smell forced air traffic controllers to halt operations, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

A ground stop was issued for Ronald Reagan Washington National, Washington Dulles International, Baltimore–Washington International, and Richmond International Airport, FAA spokesperson Sean Duffy said on social media. The halt lasted more than an hour and pushed delays at some airports to nearly two hours.

Flights slowly began departing after 7 p.m. ET, but the ground stop which prevents aircraft from landing remained in effect for a period afterward.

Source of the Smell: Potomac TRACON
The odor was traced to Potomac TRACON, the terminal radar approach control facility that manages air traffic for the Washington, Baltimore, Richmond and Charlottesville regions. The FAA has not yet clarified how the smell was affecting controllers, and a spokesperson did not respond to questions Friday evening.

Widespread Delays
Between 25% and one‑third of all departing flights from the four airports were delayed during the disruption, adding strain to an already busy travel corridor.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the source and impact of the chemical smell.