Aircraft target went into nat status and eventually dropped from the radar screen.

Attributes
ACN	118122
Time
Date	198907
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw tower : clm
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	118122
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Air carrier X, beacon code XXXX, was in handoff status from ZFW. The computer was not tracking the target which showed up on my scope as nat. It takes extra time to accept this handoff and once it has been accomplished the target drops off the scope and comes up in your coast list. You must now find the target, start the track, and reidentify the aircraft's position. All extra work and time consuming. With WX in the area and aircraft deviating, this could cause major problem. Cause ARTS IIIA a srap and ASR 8 nbe radar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT TARGET WENT INTO NAT STATUS AND EVENTUALLY DROPPED FROM THE RADAR SCREEN.

Narrative: ACR X, BEACON CODE XXXX, WAS IN HANDOFF STATUS FROM ZFW. THE COMPUTER WAS NOT TRACKING THE TARGET WHICH SHOWED UP ON MY SCOPE AS NAT. IT TAKES EXTRA TIME TO ACCEPT THIS HANDOFF AND ONCE IT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED THE TARGET DROPS OFF THE SCOPE AND COMES UP IN YOUR COAST LIST. YOU MUST NOW FIND THE TARGET, START THE TRACK, AND REIDENTIFY THE ACFT'S POSITION. ALL EXTRA WORK AND TIME CONSUMING. WITH WX IN THE AREA AND ACFT DEVIATING, THIS COULD CAUSE MAJOR PROBLEM. CAUSE ARTS IIIA A SRAP AND ASR 8 NBE RADAR.

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.