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Approach controller reverted to vertical separation between air carrier X and Y because of poor radar coverage.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 153448 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199008 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pwm |
| State Reference | ME |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pwm tower : mdw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 6 controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 9 |
| ASRS Report | 153448 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
I was working the south radar position at portland approach control, working approximately 5 aircraft. One turbojet departure, a air carrier X was 10 mi west of portland climbing out of 7000' for FL230. Conflicting traffic inbound to portland was air carrier Y descending out of 11000 for 3000'. There was significant airspace to descend the sf-340 utilizing radar; however, due to a poor coverage area west of pwm, air carrier Y's tag dropped off my scope at 11000', leaving me with 2 aircraft on converging courses, one of which I no longer had a usable radar target on. I had to revert to non radar procedures. This situation is an everyday occurrence at pwm because of a motel that was built in close proximity to the radar antenna 15 months ago. The controllers had submitted an unsatisfactory condition report to the FAA, but to this date no plan has evolved to remedy the situation. The radar situation is deplorable and over 75% of the scheduled air carrier's arrive and depart through this airspace on a daily basis. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated he stopped air carrier X's climb and stopped air carrier Y's descent. Vertical sep of 1000' was maintained. FAA said they were looking into solutions to the radar coverage problem. He has received no communications in the last 8 months. Analyst advised reporter to resubmit ucr or call administrators hot line.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: APCH CTLR REVERTED TO VERTICAL SEPARATION BETWEEN ACR X AND Y BECAUSE OF POOR RADAR COVERAGE.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE S RADAR POS AT PORTLAND APCH CTL, WORKING APPROX 5 ACFT. ONE TURBOJET DEP, A ACR X WAS 10 MI W OF PORTLAND CLBING OUT OF 7000' FOR FL230. CONFLICTING TFC INBND TO PORTLAND WAS ACR Y DSNDING OUT OF 11000 FOR 3000'. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT AIRSPACE TO DSND THE SF-340 UTILIZING RADAR; HOWEVER, DUE TO A POOR COVERAGE AREA W OF PWM, ACR Y'S TAG DROPPED OFF MY SCOPE AT 11000', LEAVING ME WITH 2 ACFT ON CONVERGING COURSES, ONE OF WHICH I NO LONGER HAD A USABLE RADAR TARGET ON. I HAD TO REVERT TO NON RADAR PROCS. THIS SITUATION IS AN EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE AT PWM BECAUSE OF A MOTEL THAT WAS BUILT IN CLOSE PROX TO THE RADAR ANTENNA 15 MONTHS AGO. THE CTLRS HAD SUBMITTED AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION RPT TO THE FAA, BUT TO THIS DATE NO PLAN HAS EVOLVED TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. THE RADAR SITUATION IS DEPLORABLE AND OVER 75% OF THE SCHEDULED ACR'S ARRIVE AND DEPART THROUGH THIS AIRSPACE ON A DAILY BASIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED HE STOPPED ACR X'S CLB AND STOPPED ACR Y'S DSNT. VERT SEP OF 1000' WAS MAINTAINED. FAA SAID THEY WERE LOOKING INTO SOLUTIONS TO THE RADAR COVERAGE PROB. HE HAS RECEIVED NO COMS IN THE LAST 8 MONTHS. ANALYST ADVISED RPTR TO RESUBMIT UCR OR CALL ADMINISTRATORS HOT LINE.
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.