Air traffic controllers lost communication with aircraft at Newark Liberty International Airport, triggering widespread delays and cancellations that have now stretched over eight days. The incident, which began on Monday, April 28, stemmed from a complete failure of radar and radio systems at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), the facility responsible for guiding Newark arrivals and departures.
According to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, controllers were unable to see, hear, or speak with the planes under their control. Approximately 15 to 20 flights were in Newark’s airspace at the time of the outage, and pilots were left repeatedly attempting to reestablish contact.
At least five FAA employees have since taken 45-day leaves under the Federal Employees Compensation Act, citing trauma from the situation. The FAA confirmed that the controllers are taking stress leave and acknowledged that the agency’s “antiquated air traffic control system” is to blame. 
Efforts are now underway to modernize the FAA’s systems and reinforce telecommunications infrastructure in the New York area. However, the staffing crisis and technical issues have led to hundreds of daily delays. On Monday alone, 160 flights were canceled and 375 were delayed, according to Flight Aware.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby criticized the staffing shortage and called attention to more than 20% of air traffic controllers at Newark who were reportedly off duty. The controllers’ union pushed back, emphasizing that the affected staff followed proper procedures after experiencing a traumatic work event.
Controller audio captured by LiveATC.net illustrated the stress in real time, with one controller telling a pilot, “We don’t have a radar, so I don’t know where you are.” Delayed or incorrect radar signals created significant confusion for both controllers and pilots trying to navigate one of the country’s busiest airspaces.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Sen. Chuck Schumer both acknowledged the gravity of the situation, with Schumer calling for a full investigation by the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General. He warned that without real reforms, Newark’s chaos could become a national issue.
Industry experts say it could take three to four years to fully implement modernized systems. In the meantime, safety and staffing at Newark remain under heightened scrutiny.
Would you like a visual timeline or map of the affected airspace and outage?Air Traffic Controllers Traumatized After Communication Failure at Newark Sparks Nationwide Concern.
