The nationwide ground stop is preventing National Transportation Safety Board investigators from flying to New Orleans to examine a collision between a tanker and a docked cruise ship, according to Representative Troy Carter, the Democratic congressman for Louisiana's 2nd District.
Carter told WDSU that the investigators would normally fly in on an FAA charter plane from Washington, but are being held by the stop.
"I know they are desperately trying to get here," he said. "Unfortunately, all air traffic has been grounded and no further information is available at this time."
The collision, between the Atlantic Asphalt tanker and American Cruise Lines' American Heritage, happened at 12.30pm local time on Friday while the cruise ship was docked on the Mississippi River in New Orleans, WDSU reports.
Carter's account of the NTSB's travel arrangements has not been independently checked. Neither the NTSB nor the FAA has commented on it in the reporting so far.