Dramatic cockpit audio and video captured the moment pilots and passengers learned that an exceptionally rare nationwide ground stop had been imposed on Friday.
In one radio exchange, a student pilot making his first solo flight appeared to panic after an Air Traffic Control (ATC) crew member told him about the disruption.
The controller informed him that flights had been halted across the country and asked where he wanted to land.
Unaware of the unfolding crisis roughly 30,000 feet below cruising altitude, the pilot responded: ‘I don’t know what to do.’
As the student pilot struggled to process the news, another aviator reacted with visible shock after being told about the nationwide ground stop.
In a separate exchange with a controller, the pilot paused for several seconds before responding to the unexpected announcement.
US aviation regulators said a major telecommunications outage had disrupted air traffic. It was reportedly only the second nationwide shutdown of its kind since the September 11 attacks.
The Department of Homeland Security said there was no indication of a ‘nefarious attack.’
US aviation regulators imposed an exceptionally rare nationwide ground stop on Friday
Pilots already in the air were notified by Air Traffic Control, leaving many concerned about the situation on the ground
Passengers aboard flights were also informed by pilots, raising concerns about their travel plans
The pilot was a student completing his first cross-country journey, WCVB reported.
‘Ma’am, I’m a student pilot. Honestly, this is my first time doing solo cross-country,’ he said in the recording.
He told the ATC controller that he had departed from Hicks Airfield in Fort Worth, Texas.
The controller remained composed and helped the frightened student pilot manage the situation.
After learning where the pilot had come from, she instructed him to land at Hicks Airport.
‘Landing at Hicks, I advise you land the airplane. There is multiple traffic in the vicinity of Hicks… both helicopters,’ she said.
The pilot asked whether he had clearance to land. The controller replied that she could not issue clearance for the airport.
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Still anxious, he asked what was happening at the airport and whether the problem was limited to a single location.
‘There’s nothing wrong with the airport itself? It’s just like nationwide?’ he said.
The controller calmly responded: ‘Affirmative, nothing wrong with Hicks Airport itself. You can change to advisory frequencies; just suggest you land the airplane.’
‘There is a ground stop nationwide. I advise you land your aircraft. Where would you like to land,’ she added.
In another exchange, a controller warned a pilot: ‘Just a heads up. It is a National Ground stop for all aircraft. Update time unknown.’
After a brief pause, the aviator replied: ‘Good copy.’
Video recorded aboard flights also showed pilots explaining the development to passengers.
The pilot of a Delta flight said: ‘There is a ground stop throughout the US. They say it is due to frequency issues. So that’s all we have.’
He said the aircraft would still land in Fort Lauderdale as scheduled, but departures from airports were no longer permitted.
Passengers listened carefully as the pilot made the announcement, while flight attendants moved through the cabin.
US aviation regulators attributed the air traffic disruption to a major communications outage
The shutdown reportedly led airlines to cancel more than 1,000 flights and delay nearly 10,000 others
Preliminary reports indicated that the outage was not caused by a cyberattack, while FBI personnel monitored the situation nationwide
At 3.54pm ET, the Air Traffic Control System Command Center said the immediate suspension of US flights was necessary ‘due to extraordinary circumstances for safety reasons.’
The Federal Aviation Administration said: ‘There has been a temporary telecommunications outage – out of an abundance of caution, all flights have been halted. Every flight has been accounted for, and international flights will be handled on a case-by-case basis.’
Although initial reports suggested the outage was not the result of a cyberattack, FBI personnel across the country were monitoring the incident, a law enforcement source told CNN.
The ground stop caused immediate confusion for travelers. At many airports, departure boards indicated that flights were operating normally even as passengers were unable to board.
The shutdown reportedly resulted in more than 1,000 flight cancellations and nearly 10,000 delays.
