It’s every pilot’s nightmare—flying into one of the country’s busiest airports and suddenly losing contact with air traffic control.
That’s exactly what happened over Denver on Monday, leaving dozens of planes momentarily in the dark.
The communications blackout may have lasted only 90 seconds, but in aviation terms, that’s more than enough time for chaos.
90 Seconds of Confusion as Pilots Go Radio Silent
Around 1:50 p.m. local time on May 12, Denver’s Air Route Traffic Control Center experienced a brief but alarming communications failure.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), two transmitters covering a section of the airspace went down at the same time, making it impossible for up to 20 pilots flying into Denver International Airport to speak with controllers.
Although the FAA emphasized that aircraft were safely separated and there was no operational disruption, behind the scenes, things were much more intense.
A High-Stakes Game of Telephone in the Air
In a scramble to regain control, one air traffic controller managed to get through to a single pilot using a distress frequency known as the “guard line.”
That pilot then acted like a middleman, relaying instructions to other planes in the vicinity, according to a report from Denver7.
It turns out four of the main frequencies were already down due to other issues, and when the backup fifth frequency failed too, the situation escalated fast.
Experts Warn Aging Tech Is a Disaster Waiting to Happen
Retired Denver air traffic controller David Riley didn’t sugarcoat his concerns.
“The biggest risk is you have airplanes that you’re not talking to,” he told reporters.
He compared the scenario to watching a car crash in slow motion—having radar but no voice contact meant they could see what was happening but couldn’t intervene.
He pointed to a deeper issue: outdated technology.
“It says that the equipment is getting old,” Riley said, highlighting how systemic this problem has become.
Not Just Denver: Blackouts Are Spreading Across the Country
This wasn’t an isolated incident. Just days earlier, on Friday, air traffic controllers in Philadelphia’s TRACON facility temporarily lost communication with flights heading to and from Newark.
One FedEx pilot was told by a frazzled controller that her radar had gone completely dark.
In another case, a private jet was ordered to maintain a higher altitude just in case they lost contact again.
These problems seem to be piling up across the nation.
Newark Controllers Faced Dead Air in April Too
Rewind to April 28, and yet another chilling episode unfolded.
A 30-second blackout hit both radar and radio, leaving pilots repeatedly asking, “Approach, are you there?” with no response at all.
Though it lasted less than a minute, some controllers were so shaken by the experience that they opted to take 45-day trauma leaves.
That’s how serious the mental toll is becoming for those responsible for our safety in the skies.
More Trouble in Austin and Atlanta on Mother’s Day
And the breakdowns didn’t stop there. In Austin, Texas, chronic understaffing at the FAA’s air traffic control tower led to flight delays of up to 90 minutes on Sunday, according to KUT News.
Meanwhile, in Atlanta, Hartsfield-Jackson International had to issue a ground stop on Mother’s Day due to an unexpected equipment failure.
Mounting Pressure on the FAA to Act
The FAA is currently investigating the Denver incident, but it’s clear this is just one piece of a much larger puzzle.
The Trump administration has already pointed fingers, calling the agency’s systems “antiquated” and long overdue for an upgrade.
With incidents cropping up week after week, pressure is mounting for major reforms—not just patches, but a real overhaul of the entire infrastructure that keeps the skies safe.
What’s Next for America’s Airspace?
The big question now is: how many more warnings will it take? These communication breakdowns may not have caused any accidents yet, but each one pushes the envelope a little further.
For pilots, controllers, and passengers alike, trust in the system is wearing thin.
Unless real investments are made soon, the next 90-second silence might end very differently.