Lack of memory in terminal ATC computer.

Attributes
ACN	117643
Time
Date	198907
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	117643
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 7
ASRS Report	117644
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While a busy level 5 friday night traffic, computer tags continuously going into CST (coasting) so tags drop off then reacquire, one track dropped completely out of computer. Did not reacquire. Had to start manual track. These problems are ongoing, not isolated. We work way too much traffic to safely deal with this increase in workload. Lost tracks can easily be forgotten causing an error or accident. Supplemental information from acn 117644: I was working feeder east on jul/fri/89. There were numerous arrivals over the buj and scy vors that would not continually track causing me to constantly request information from pilots. This resulted in my workload exceeding capacity thus reducing the margin of safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LACK OF MEMORY IN TERMINAL ATC COMPUTER.

Narrative: WHILE A BUSY LEVEL 5 FRIDAY NIGHT TFC, COMPUTER TAGS CONTINUOUSLY GOING INTO CST (COASTING) SO TAGS DROP OFF THEN REACQUIRE, ONE TRACK DROPPED COMPLETELY OUT OF COMPUTER. DID NOT REACQUIRE. HAD TO START MANUAL TRACK. THESE PROBLEMS ARE ONGOING, NOT ISOLATED. WE WORK WAY TOO MUCH TFC TO SAFELY DEAL WITH THIS INCREASE IN WORKLOAD. LOST TRACKS CAN EASILY BE FORGOTTEN CAUSING AN ERROR OR ACCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 117644: I WAS WORKING FEEDER EAST ON JUL/FRI/89. THERE WERE NUMEROUS ARRIVALS OVER THE BUJ AND SCY VORS THAT WOULD NOT CONTINUALLY TRACK CAUSING ME TO CONSTANTLY REQUEST INFORMATION FROM PLTS. THIS RESULTED IN MY WORKLOAD EXCEEDING CAPACITY THUS REDUCING THE MARGIN OF SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.