The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported a fresh outage at a Philadelphia air traffic control facility early on Friday (May 9), disrupting radar and communications for aircraft heading to Newark Liberty International Airport. The glitch, which occurred around 3:55 a.m. ET, lasted approximately 90 seconds.
Part of ongoing problems
This incident is the latest in a series of equipment failures since April 28 that have hindered air traffic, especially affecting United Airlines. The FAA said the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), which manages aircraft near Newark, was hit by a telecommunications outage impacting radar displays and communication systems.
Immediate response measures
To tackle the recurring issues, the FAA announced new measures, including boosting air traffic controller staffing, installing three additional high-bandwidth telecom connections, and deploying a temporary backup system at Philadelphia TRACON. A full switch to a more reliable fiber-optic network is also underway.
Growing concerns
Newark has faced compounding challenges recently, including runway construction, equipment outages, and staffing shortages. The string of problems has prompted lawmakers to demand investigations and increased funding to bolster infrastructure and staffing.
Earlier incident sparks alarm
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that controllers lost contact with aircraft for 30 to 90 seconds during a similar incident on April 28, raising alarms about the safety and reliability of Newark’s air traffic system.