Early on Friday morning, radar screens at Newark Liberty International Airport unexpectedly went black, raising serious safety concerns for air traffic management. The blackout occurred at approximately 3:55 a.m. EDT and lasted for about 90 seconds, impacting a limited number of sectors, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
This incident follows recent issues where air traffic controllers lost radio contact with aircraft approaching the airport, highlighting ongoing problems in the airport’s air traffic control operations. The difficulties were attributed to a telecommunications outage within the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) network based in Philadelphia, which is responsible for managing aircraft entering and exiting Newark’s airspace.
The FAA acknowledged the telecommunications failure, which disrupted both communications and radar displays at the Philadelphia TRACON Area C. While the blackout was brief, it has raised alarms about potential vulnerabilities in air traffic safety at a busy airport like Newark, especially in light of recent communication lapses with pilots.
The story is still developing, and further updates are expected as federal authorities investigate the incident. Jay Blackman, an NBC News producer, and David K. Li, a senior breaking news reporter, are following the story closely, emphasizing the importance of addressing these safety concerns swiftly to ensure reliable operations at one of the country’s major airports.
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