Fact check: What happened to the faa computers

1. Summary of the results

The FAA experienced a significant computer system outage in January 2023 affecting its Notice to Air Mission (NOTAM) system, which led to a nationwide ground stop of domestic flights until 9 AM EST ^[1]. The outage was caused by a technical error during routine maintenance, where a contractor from Spatial Front, Inc. unintentionally deleted files while attempting to synchronize databases ^[2]. The impact was substantial, with different sources reporting varying numbers of affected flights:

• 32,578 delays and 409 cancellations ^[2]
• 10,578 delays and 1,353 cancellations ^[3]
• 7,700 delays and 1,100 cancellations ^[4]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements were revealed in the analyses:

• The NOTAM system is severely outdated, running on 1950s technology ^[4]
• The FAA has already taken steps to address this by selecting CGI Federal, Inc. to modernize the system, with deployment planned for September 2025 ^[5]
• The new system will be cloud-hosted and feature more resilient architecture ^[5]
• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was actively involved in the situation's management ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The incident generated significant misinformation and conspiracy theories:

• False claims circulated about potential terrorist threats, nuclear attacks, and even connections to Prince Harry's book release ^[6]
• While initial investigations were ongoing ^[4], multiple sources confirmed there was no evidence of a cyberattack ^{[2] [1]}
• The varying numbers of affected flights reported by different sources suggest potential inconsistencies in data reporting or different measurement methods

The incident highlighted the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and the urgent need for modernization of the FAA's systems ^[3]. Those benefiting from this narrative include:

• Technology contractors like CGI Federal, Inc. who received modernization contracts
• Aviation safety advocates pushing for infrastructure updates
• Political actors using the incident to advocate for increased infrastructure funding