Transportation Department launches audit into FAA's transfer of Newark air traffic control

On April 28, 2025, burnt copper wires caused a blackout that lasted around 90 seconds, disrupting both radar displays and communications with aircraft at Newark Liberty. Another similar outage occurred on May 9 due to failures in primary and backup communication systems. These incidents led to ground stops at one of the nation’s busiest airports—Newark averages over 530 departures daily—resulting in delays, cancellations, and diversions across several airports.

A further telecommunications problem on May 11 forced another ground stop lasting approximately 45 minutes as controllers struggled to communicate with aircraft. In response to these outages, the FAA formed a task force aimed at resolving telecommunications issues and improving redundancy. Earlier this month, new fiber optic lines replaced older copper wiring between Philadelphia TRACON and New York facilities.

The upcoming audit will review how the FAA planned for risk during this transition as well as its response following operational disruptions that affected flight schedules and safety measures. The agency said it welcomes feedback from auditors and will cooperate fully with their investigation.

Staffing challenges are not limited to Newark Liberty; other major US airports face similar issues due in part to a nationwide shortage of about 3,500 air traffic controllers below target levels—a situation reported by CNBC (https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/15/faa-air-traffic-controller-shortage.html). This has resulted in constraints at multiple airports along with concerns over near-miss incidents involving aircraft across recent years.

Austin Bergstrom International Airport is among those affected by short staffing despite passenger growth. Last year there was a near-collision between an American Airlines Boeing 737 and a Cessna 182 that passed within roughly 350 feet of each other. In response, Austin city officials have proposed creating a local Air Traffic Controller academy since prospective controllers currently must leave Texas for training; no Texas institutions participate in the FAA's Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative program.