Dramatic audio and video captured the moment pilots and passengers learned that an exceptionally rare nationwide ground stop had halted all flights on Friday.
In one radio exchange, a student pilot flying solo appeared to panic after an Air Traffic Control (ATC) crew member informed him of the disruption.
The controller explained that flights across the country had been grounded and asked the pilot where he wanted to land.
Unaware of the crisis unfolding far below at 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 disbelief.
During a separate exchange with a controller, the pilot fell silent for several seconds after being told about the nationwide halt.
US aviation regulators said a major communications outage disrupted air traffic, marking only the second nationwide shutdown of its kind since the 9/11 attacks.
The Department of Homeland Security said there was no evidence of a ‘nefarious attack.’
US aviation regulators issued an extremely rare ground stop of all flights across the country on Friday
Pilots already in the air were informed by Air Traffic Control about the ground situation, leaving many unsettled
Pilots also informed passengers on flights already in the air, leaving travelers worried about their plans
The pilot was a student completing his first solo cross-country flight, 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 calm and guided the frightened student through the situation.
After learning where he 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, but the controller explained that she could not issue clearance for that airport.
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 replied: ‘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 the other exchange, the controller warned the pilot: ‘Just a heads up. It is a National Ground stop for all aircraft. Update time unknown.’
After a pause, the aviator replied: ‘Good copy.’
Recordings from flights already in the air also captured pilots informing passengers about the disruption.
The pilot of a Delta flight announced: ‘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 flight would still land in Fort Lauderdale as scheduled, but no aircraft were being permitted to depart from airports.
Passengers listened quietly as the pilot explained the situation while flight attendants moved through the cabin.
US aviation regulators said a major communications outage disrupted air traffic
The shutdown reportedly led airlines to cancel more than 1,000 flights and delay nearly 10,000 others
Although preliminary reports indicated the outage was not caused by a cyberattack, FBI personnel nationwide were monitoring the situation
At 3.54pm ET, the Air Traffic Control System Command Center said US flights had been grounded ‘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 linked to a cyberattack, FBI personnel across the country were monitoring the incident, a law enforcement source told CNN.
The ground stop immediately created confusion for travelers. At several airports, departure boards continued to show normal operations even though passengers could not board their flights.
The shutdown reportedly forced airlines to cancel more than 1,000 flights and delay nearly 10,000 others.