ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) -- Problems with security equipment at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport led to the temporary shutdown of the airport's central concourse screening area Saturday.

Passengers were forced to return from boarding gates and undergo rescreening after Transportation Security Administration officials detected a glitch in one of their walkthrough metal detectors around 8:50 a.m.

''Three people walked through the metal detector before we determined that it was malfunctioning,'' said Christopher White, a TSA spokesman. Although two of the three were located, security personnel were not able to immediately find the third person.

That prompted the evacuation of Reagan's center pier which serves seven airlines including American, United and U-S Airways. Passengers aboard some aircraft and in boarding areas were forced to return to the security area.

''Whenever you have an interruption, you do have people who have to go through rescreening, '' said Tara Hamilton, an airport authority spokeswoman.

Airport officials said operations were returned to normal just before 10:30 a.m.