Increased workload resulted when the ARTS IIIA computer system was not configured properly.

Attributes
ACN	118094
Time
Date	198907
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : scy airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw artcc : zdv
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 6 controller non radar : 6 controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	118094
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

The ARTS IIIA computer system at dfw was not configured properly. Much confusion resulted as ZFW controllers had to call on the lines and manually hand off aircraft nearing scy and buj vors. I had to receive the handoffs while coordinating with the supervisor to fix the problem, sequencing aircraft to 5 airports, issuing simultaneous ILS approach information, and separating all the airplanes. During this time scy VOR also failed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INCREASED WORKLOAD RESULTED WHEN THE ARTS IIIA COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS NOT CONFIGURED PROPERLY.

Narrative: THE ARTS IIIA COMPUTER SYSTEM AT DFW WAS NOT CONFIGURED PROPERLY. MUCH CONFUSION RESULTED AS ZFW CTLRS HAD TO CALL ON THE LINES AND MANUALLY HAND OFF ACFT NEARING SCY AND BUJ VORS. I HAD TO RECEIVE THE HANDOFFS WHILE COORDINATING WITH THE SUPVR TO FIX THE PROBLEM, SEQUENCING ACFT TO 5 ARPTS, ISSUING SIMULTANEOUS ILS APCH INFO, AND SEPARATING ALL THE AIRPLANES. DURING THIS TIME SCY VOR ALSO FAILED.

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.