Ongoing ARTS IIIA failure.

Attributes
ACN	123946
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 22
ASRS Report	123946
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 12 controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	123941
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

While working the ar-1 (arrival radar one) position at dfw approach, on the ASR-8 radar system, the A303 program of the ARTS-3 failed without warning. At the time, I was working 5 aircraft for runway 17L at dfw. This was during one of our busiest arrival rushes of the day. The result was a very unsafe situation. I understand that this was the 4TH day in a row that this has happened at exactly the same time. This situation has been brought to management's attention with little to no corrective action. Supplemental information from acn 123941: again the ARTS III A303 cratered at dfw. This is the 3RD time in 2 weeks that our computer has had an unexpected failure. Loss of all critical data was lost and controllers lost the identity of literally 50-70 aircraft. This is the 6TH time in 2 months this has occurred and someone is going to get hurt sooner or later. This is occurring at lax, mia bay also.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ONGOING ARTS IIIA FAILURE.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING THE AR-1 (ARR RADAR ONE) POSITION AT DFW APCH, ON THE ASR-8 RADAR SYS, THE A303 PROGRAM OF THE ARTS-3 FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AT THE TIME, I WAS WORKING 5 ACFT FOR RWY 17L AT DFW. THIS WAS DURING ONE OF OUR BUSIEST ARR RUSHES OF THE DAY. THE RESULT WAS A VERY UNSAFE SIT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS THE 4TH DAY IN A ROW THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME. THIS SIT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MGMNT'S ATTN WITH LITTLE TO NO CORRECTIVE ACTION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 123941: AGAIN THE ARTS III A303 CRATERED AT DFW. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IN 2 WKS THAT OUR COMPUTER HAS HAD AN UNEXPECTED FAILURE. LOSS OF ALL CRITICAL DATA WAS LOST AND CTLRS LOST THE IDENTITY OF LITERALLY 50-70 ACFT. THIS IS THE 6TH TIME IN 2 MONTHS THIS HAS OCCURRED AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT SOONER OR LATER. THIS IS OCCURRING AT LAX, MIA BAY ALSO.

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.