Newark Airport problems: Equipment issue again disrupts air traffic Sunday at New Jersey airport, FAA says
Share this @internewscast.com

NEWARK, New Jersey — Air traffic control issues persisted at Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday morning following an equipment problem that led the Federal Aviation Administration to impose a 45-minute ground stop at the New Jersey airport, according to officials.

The FAA explained in a statement that a telecommunications issue at the Philadelphia TRACON (terminal radar approach control) Area C facility, which manages aircraft movements in and out of Newark, necessitated the agency to initiate a ground stop.

“The FAA briefly slowed aircraft in and out of the airport while we ensured redundancies were working as designed,” the FAA said in its statement.

As of 11 a.m. ET, the FAA said, “operations have returned to normal” at Newark Liberty.

Video in the media player above is from a previous update

In updated information released Sunday afternoon, the FAA clarified that an audio problem, rather than an outage, triggered the ground stop at Newark. The agency noted that there were popping noises on certain radio frequencies, though air traffic controllers maintained communication with aircraft. However, the malfunctioning radio system led to a switch to a backup system, the FAA stated.

The incident marks the third time in the past two weeks that technical problems have disrupted air traffic at Newark Liberty.

On Friday morning, radar screens at the airport went black for approximately 90 seconds, according to the FAA. During the outage, which occurred at about 3:55 a.m. ET, air traffic controllers could be heard telling a FedEx plane that their screens had gone dark and then asking the aircraft to tell their company to apply pressure to get the problem fixed.

In another transmission, a controller told an arriving private jet that the airport just had experienced a brief radar outage and to stay at or above 3,000 feet in case the controllers couldn’t get in touch during the aircraft’s descent.

The FAA said that the Friday outage stemmed from a “telecommunications outage that impacted communications and radar display at Philadelphia TRACON Area C,” which is the facility that covers the airspace around Newark.

On April 28, an outage at Newark Liberty caused air traffic control computer screens to go dark for roughly 60 to 90 seconds and also prevented the controllers from talking to aircraft during the outage, multiple sources with knowledge of the incident told ABC News. As a result, the FAA halted all departures to the Newark airport, citing “telecommunications and equipment issues at Philadelphia TRACON.”

Following the April outage, several controllers went on medical leave, calling the experience a traumatic event. The controllers are entitled to at least 45 days away from the job and must be evaluated by a doctor before they can return to work.

ABC News’ Sam Sweeney and Ayesha Ali contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025 ABC News Internet Ventures.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
NYC ordered to pay $2.5M to George Floyd protestor in excessive force lawsuit

New York City to Pay $2.5 Million Settlement in Excessive Force Case Involving George Floyd Protestor

A federal jury has decided to award $2.56 million to a protestor…
'Frozen,' 'The Simpsons' and more Christmas yule logs to stream on Disney+ this holiday season!

Stream Festive Yule Logs from ‘Frozen’ and ‘The Simpsons’ on Disney+ This Holiday Season!

Are you ready to dive into the holiday spirit? Whether you’re in…
FBI: Suspect at large after 'acid attack' in Savannah's Forsyth Park area

FBI Seeks Suspect Following Acid Attack Incident in Savannah’s Forsyth Park Area

In the wake of a disturbing incident in Savannah, Mayor Van Johnson…
Pilot reports UFO hovering beside jet, leaving air traffic control stunned: 'Good luck with the aliens'

Pilot Encounters UFO Mid-Flight: Air Traffic Control in Shock as ‘Alien’ Incident Unfolds

While soaring over Rhode Island, the pilot of a private jet encountered…
Japan to Increase Requirements for Foreigners to Obtain Citizenship

Japan Tightens Citizenship Rules: Stricter Criteria for Foreign Nationals Announced

The Japanese government is on the brink of tightening its immigration policies…
Russian general killed by car bomb, third senior military leader killed this year

Car Bomb Claims Life of Russian General, Marking Third Senior Military Leader’s Death This Year

In a tragic incident on Monday, a high-ranking Russian general lost his…
Aetna to cover IVF treatments for same-sex couples in national settlement

Groundbreaking: Aetna Expands IVF Coverage to Support Same-Sex Couples Nationwide

Mara Berton and June Higginbotham, like countless young girls, always dreamed of…
Florida teens to be tried as adults in brutal killing of 14-year-old girl

Florida Teens Face Adult Charges in Shocking Murder Case: Justice for 14-Year-Old Girl

Two teenagers from Florida are set to be tried as adults following…
Fla. mom arrested for holding child underwater in fancy hotel pool: police

Shocking Incident: Florida Mom Arrested for Alleged Child Endangerment at Luxury Hotel Pool

In a shocking incident at a luxury hotel in Florida, a 36-year-old…
Federal judge to decide whether Kilmar Abrego Garcia should return to immigration custody

Federal Judge to Rule on Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Potential Return to Immigration Custody

In a legal standoff that has captured national attention, a federal judge…
Eric Swalwell's Incredibly Cringey CA Gov Ad Shows Just How Clueless and Out of Touch Dems Are

Eric Swalwell’s Misguided CA Governor Ad: A Glaring Example of Democratic Disconnect

The race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in California is quickly becoming…
‘Israel is only the appetizer’: Huckabee warns Iran threat looms as Netanyahu eyes Trump talks

Mike Huckabee Alerts: Iran’s Growing Threat as Netanyahu Considers Trump Discussions

Huckabee says Iran’s ‘ultimate goal is to destroy the US’ Speaking at…