‘Despair’: RIC passengers navigate delays, cancellations after faulty circuit board grounds flights

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Frustrations and headaches filled Richmond International Airport (RIC) on Friday after a faulty piece of equipment brought several area airports to a halt.

According to U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) officials, a circuit board overheating is to blame for numerous grounded flights throughout Virginia and Maryland on Friday, March 13 -- including at RIC.

The involved, "faulty" equipment severely disrupted operations at the Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control (TRACON) -- an air traffic control facility in Fauquier County, which oversees Greater Richmond's airspace.

As a result of this overheating, a "strong chemical smell" kept air traffic controllers from doing their jobs -- which forced officials to ground flights at RIC, as well as Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI).

According to RIC staff, between six and nine flights were grounded at Richmond. By 8 p.m Friday, these grounded stops were lifted -- but RIC passengers were still faced with delays and cancellations.

Some passengers sat on the airplane for an hour -- only to leave the plane and have their next flight delayed or cancelled.

Shane Pierce was travelling with family from RIC to LaGuardia, with a final destination in Toronto.

"If we can't fly out tonight, we'll probably just drive there," Pierce said.

Flying to College Station, Texas, Deborah Bowman started her day at Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO). She taxied to RIC after a flight was cancelled at CHO, then had her flight at RIC cancelled outright.

8News asked Bowman to describe what was going through her head. Her answer was "despair."

"To have three flights in a row delayed beyond comprehension ... I can't make any of my connections," Bowman said. "All of these first flights are ruining my -- and I'm supposed to be at work at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning, so I'm frustrated, to say the least."

Stephanie Kauffman tried to fly from RIC to Orlando early Friday evening, but had her flight delayed to midnight and decided to wait in the airport lounges.

"I think our flight now doesn't leave until midnight and doesn't land there until like 2:20 [a.m.] -- so, that's fun," Kauffman said.

Fauquier fire officials said that, while over 30 employees were evaluated by medical personnel, all of them were able to return to work with no issues.

Federal officials added that the problem circuit board has been replaced.