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Newark air traffic controllers say an equipment failure knocked out radar and communication last week.

Last week, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby partially blamed a “walkout” by air traffic controllers, along with equipment failures and understaffing, for massive delays and the cancellation of 35 daily round-trip flights.

On Monday, the New York Times reports a National Air Traffic Controllers Association statement saying the April 28th incident wasn’t a walkout. After radar and comms dropped out for about 90 seconds, according to Bloomberg, leaving them shaken and concerned about possible accidents. “...controllers took absences under a law that allows federal workers who are physically injured or experience a traumatic event on the job to leave work.”

Update: Added NATCA statement and newer reports.

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