Situation: ARTS tag drop on final approach.

Attributes
ACN	123329
Time
Date	198909
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iah
State Reference	TX
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cll
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	123329
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

This has been an ongoing problem. The FAA has been making an effort to correct the problem, but has been unsuccessful. The ARTS tags (call sign, altitude, airspeed) are dropping off. This happens at a critical phase of flight--on final. We are having some problem with departures tagging up, but this event involves arrs. This particular situation happened where several data blocks dropped from the radar screen or else went into coast (radar trying to reacquire target), then dropped. Loss of call sign and altitude on final is a very dangerous situation, especially during IFR WX. If the aircraft altitude is low, how are we to know? Also, no altitude alert will go off.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SITUATION: ARTS TAG DROP ON FINAL APCH.

Narrative: THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROB. THE FAA HAS BEEN MAKING AN EFFORT TO CORRECT THE PROB, BUT HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. THE ARTS TAGS (CALL SIGN, ALT, AIRSPD) ARE DROPPING OFF. THIS HAPPENS AT A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT--ON FINAL. WE ARE HAVING SOME PROB WITH DEPS TAGGING UP, BUT THIS EVENT INVOLVES ARRS. THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION HAPPENED WHERE SEVERAL DATA BLOCKS DROPPED FROM THE RADAR SCREEN OR ELSE WENT INTO COAST (RADAR TRYING TO REACQUIRE TARGET), THEN DROPPED. LOSS OF CALL SIGN AND ALT ON FINAL IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY DURING IFR WX. IF THE ACFT ALT IS LOW, HOW ARE WE TO KNOW? ALSO, NO ALT ALERT WILL GO OFF.

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.