The FAA said traffic was resuming at the primary Washington-area airports on Friday after a reported odor prompted the evacuation of the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control facility in Warrenton, Virginia. The agency issued ground stops for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport and Richmond International Airport before lifting them about 90 minutes later.
Local WMAR reported the facility was evacuated as a precaution, and BWI officials said travelers would experience delays into the evening. Reuters reported that, even after the ground stops were lifted, the FAA said delays would continue while traffic returned to normal operations.
The March 27 disruption was the second evacuation at the Potomac TRACON in two weeks. A March 13 incident also halted traffic after what the FAA described as a strong chemical smell linked to an overheating circuit board, prompting a response from fire departments. The earlier event was traced to a faulty building monitoring device.
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