A fiber optic line near the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tower at Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) was accidentally severed on the morning of October 12, 2026. The cut occurred when a contractor was performing plumbing repair work near the tower.
The incident caused flight delays for some departing flights at RDU lasting approximately 20 minutes. Despite the damage to the fiber optic line, the FAA control tower at Raleigh-Durham airport remained fully operational during the disruption.
There was no ground stop issued at Raleigh-Durham Airport following the cut. Officials confirmed the contractor was responsible for the accidental fiber line severance but
did not specify the number of affected flights.
