At Newark Liberty International Airport, a significant air traffic control failure occurred on April 28, 2025, when controllers at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control-responsible for managing flights arriving at Newark-briefly lost all communication and radar contact with aircraft under their supervision. This outage lasted about 60 to 90 seconds, during which air traffic control computer screens went dark, and controllers were unable to talk to planes
. This failure was caused by a complete breakdown in the connection between the FAA radar and the communication frequencies used by controllers. The backup systems did not activate promptly, exacerbating the problem
. As a result, the FAA issued a ground stop, halting departures to Newark, and the disruption led to cascading flight delays and cancellations. Over 150 flights were canceled and more than 350 delayed on the Monday following the incident, with the chaos continuing for over a week
. The incident had severe effects on the workforce: several air traffic controllers took trauma leave under the Federal Employees Compensation Act, with at least five FAA employees taking 45 days of leave due to the traumatic event
. The staffing shortages at the Philadelphia TRACON, which manages Newark's airspace, were already critical, and the event worsened the situation, leading to a controller walk-off and ongoing operational challenges
. Additional factors contributing to the ongoing turmoil included outdated FAA technology, runway construction delays, bad weather, and chronic understaffing of air traffic controllers at Newark
. United Airlines, a major operator at Newark, announced daily flight cancellations citing the airport's inability to accommodate scheduled flights due to these issues
. Political leaders, including Senator Chuck Schumer and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, have called for thorough investigations and urgent action to address the FAA's systemic issues, warning that the Newark situation could be a harbinger of broader national air traffic control problems if not resolved
. In summary, Newark Airport experienced a multi-day meltdown triggered by a brief but critical air traffic control communication and radar failure, compounded by staffing shortages, outdated technology, and operational challenges, resulting in widespread flight delays, cancellations, and trauma- related leave among controllers
