Wednesday morning’s dense fog delayed flights at area airports and might have been a factor in a fatal car crash on the Capital Beltway’s Outer Loop.

Shortly after 5 a.m., according to Maryland State Police, a northbound Honda driven by Steven Gmelin of Alexandria slammed into a Buick Electra that was broken down in the left lane south of St. Barnabas Road.

Maryland police were not identifying the driver of the Buick, who died of injuries later Wednesday morning at the Southern Maryland Hospital. Gmelin was treated and released from the Prince George’s Trauma Center.

No charges have been filed yet, and Maryland police do not believe alcohol was a factor in the accident. Police are waiting for a report on the weather conditions at the time of the accident, but believe the fog hampered Gmelin’s vision and caused the crash.

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The Federal Aviation Administration reported a few delays at Reagan National, Dulles International and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall airports Wednesday morning, but all flights were on schedule by 9 a.m.

Calvin Meadows, a meteorological technician at the National Weather Service, said a strong wind brought in warm, wet air from the south, causing the fog.

Fog likely will not be a problem Friday and into the weekend, however. “A cold front is going to be moving in,” Meadows said. “There should not be any fog.”

jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com