​Washington DCA: FAA ground stop after equipment outage

On the evening of 22 September 2026, the FAA issued a ground stop for flights headed to Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA). Local coverage (FOX 5 DC, NBC Washington) linked the pause to an equipment outage; the FAA advisory later listed the reason as “other”. Officials did not publish a full technical cause or scope.

What travellers saw

Earlier the same evening, DCA Runway 1/19 had been closed for an equipment outage; it was unclear whether that closure and the ground stop were the same incident. FOX 5 reported the FAA expected the pause to expire around 8:30 p.m. local time, with a medium chance of extension. This is a DCA-local equipment event on 22 September — not the same story as the 21 September Philadelphia TRACON fiber cut that hit the broader Northeast corridor.

If the schedule is critical

National/Reagan bank turns leave little slack when arrivals are held. If you cannot wait for the stop to lift, a private jet or empty leg into an alternate DC-area field may be workable once slots reopen. Rahizi qualifies the brief and returns partner options.

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Facts from FAA advisories cited by FOX 5 DC and NBC Washington on 22 September 2026. Always verify with your carrier.