FBI Probes Software Update in FAA Outage
Investigators are examining whether a routine software update caused the communications failure that prompted a nationwide air traffic ground stop.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Air Travel
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The FAA ordered a nationwide ground stop on November 13, 2026, after communications failures hit all of its en route air traffic control centers. Planes already in the air were allowed to land, while about 3,100 aircraft bound for U.S. airports were held.
Why it matters
The outage disrupted radio frequencies pilots and controllers rely on, causing about 8,000 delays and 400 cancellations within hours. Officials have not confirmed a cause, and the FBI does not believe the outage was a cyberattack or criminal act.
CBS News counted about 8,000 flight delays and 400 cancellations within hours, with about 3,100 aircraft bound for U.S. airports when the ground stop began. The FAA has not confirmed what caused the outage, and investigators have not named the software update, its author or a restart time.
The players
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
The U.S. agency that regulates civil aviation and operates the nation's air traffic control system, which ordered the ground stop.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
The principal federal investigative agency of the United States, which is examining whether a software update caused the outage.
Markwayne Mullin
The U.S. Homeland Security Secretary, who said there was no indication the outage was a nefarious act.
The details
Frequency problems first appeared just after 3 p.m. Eastern at Chicago O'Hare and then JFK, and the FAA told airlines that all departing traffic should remain grounded until further notice. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was no indication, as of yet, that the outage was a nefarious act.
Timeline
January 2023: An FAA NOTAM system failure stopped departures nationwide for under two hours.
July 2024: A faulty CrowdStrike update crashed about 8.5 million Windows machines.
November 13, 2026: FAA communications fault triggered the nationwide ground stop.
Seasonal Patterns
This nationwide ground stop follows the January 2023 FAA NOTAM system failure, which halted departures for under two hours and marks a second nationwide FAA disruption. Officials have also pointed to Congress's approval of $12.5 billion in 2025 for FAA communications upgrades as context for the reliability of these systems.
Travelers with flights through U.S. airports should check with their airlines for updated departure status, since the ground stop was ordered to remain in effect until further notice. Delays and cancellations may continue as operations resume, so allow extra time before heading to the airport.
The takeaway
Even brief disruptions to air traffic communications can ripple across thousands of flights, so checking your airline's status before traveling is a practical habit. The cause of this outage is still unconfirmed, and officials will need to explain what failed.
Further reading
Track related coverage in Air Travel for more on how these disruptions affect flights.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Startup Fortune.
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