ARTCC radar equipment failure.

Attributes
ACN	152398
Time
Date	199007
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zid
State Reference	IN
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	152398
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

A failure of one of the operational peripheral adapter modules (pam), which is a component of the host computer system, occurred on 7/sun/90. At this time, the pam failed, and when it was replaced by the backup, the backup also failed. This left us with only 1 pam and this pam had no port for the external fdio sites (tower and approach control printers). In addition, there were not enough ports for some of the radar sites, ARTS sites and adjacent centers. Because of the loss of radar data, we reverted to the darc system 2 mins later. The darc receives radar data through a different path (not through the pam's). The NAS mgrs and fdcs's worked together with the area manager and control personnel to restore as many services as possible while af technicians worked on repairing the faulty pam. A start-over of the host was executed in an attempt to bring the failed pam back on-line. This caused the loss of flight data processing for 3 mins. 50 mins later all of the radar sites were connected to the single pam and we returned to rdp. A card in the power supply of pam was replaced and we returned to a normal operation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR EQUIPMENT FAILURE.

Narrative: A FAILURE OF ONE OF THE OPERATIONAL PERIPHERAL ADAPTER MODULES (PAM), WHICH IS A COMPONENT OF THE HOST COMPUTER SYS, OCCURRED ON 7/SUN/90. AT THIS TIME, THE PAM FAILED, AND WHEN IT WAS REPLACED BY THE BACKUP, THE BACKUP ALSO FAILED. THIS LEFT US WITH ONLY 1 PAM AND THIS PAM HAD NO PORT FOR THE EXTERNAL FDIO SITES (TWR AND APCH CTL PRINTERS). IN ADDITION, THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH PORTS FOR SOME OF THE RADAR SITES, ARTS SITES AND ADJACENT CENTERS. BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF RADAR DATA, WE REVERTED TO THE DARC SYS 2 MINS LATER. THE DARC RECEIVES RADAR DATA THROUGH A DIFFERENT PATH (NOT THROUGH THE PAM'S). THE NAS MGRS AND FDCS'S WORKED TOGETHER WITH THE AREA MGR AND CTL PERSONNEL TO RESTORE AS MANY SVCS AS POSSIBLE WHILE AF TECHNICIANS WORKED ON REPAIRING THE FAULTY PAM. A START-OVER OF THE HOST WAS EXECUTED IN AN ATTEMPT TO BRING THE FAILED PAM BACK ON-LINE. THIS CAUSED THE LOSS OF FLT DATA PROCESSING FOR 3 MINS. 50 MINS LATER ALL OF THE RADAR SITES WERE CONNECTED TO THE SINGLE PAM AND WE RETURNED TO RDP. A CARD IN THE PWR SUPPLY OF PAM WAS REPLACED AND WE RETURNED TO A NORMAL OPERATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.