Radar return in southwest quadrant has deteriorated due to building construction.

Attributes
ACN	153881
Time
Date	199007
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pwm
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pwm
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	153881
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
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
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Problems with radar coverage in southwest quad of pwm approach area. Lost radar (primary and secondary) on turboprop at 11000' from 7 mi southwest of neets intersection until approximately over neets intersection, at which primary radar was reestablished. Problem possibly due to poor location of pwm radar antenna and the construction of a hotel in close proximity to the antenna as well as the natural growth of trees in the vicinity. Problem discovered approximately 20 months ago. Acknowledge, flight check and confirmed at altitudes below 6000'. No corrective action to date. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated that a ucr was filed about 1 yr ago. Management acknowledged the problem. Reporter said the radar equipment was an ASR-4 system and it is being replaced sometime in the future. Exact date is unknown. Facility management has implement non radar procedures in area of known problem area. Reporter states the condition is getting worse. Controllers are faced with double and triple beacon returns. Reporter said the union was pursuing management to take more action to resolve situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADAR RETURN IN SOUTHWEST QUADRANT HAS DETERIORATED DUE TO BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

Narrative: PROBS WITH RADAR COVERAGE IN SW QUAD OF PWM APCH AREA. LOST RADAR (PRIMARY AND SECONDARY) ON TURBOPROP AT 11000' FROM 7 MI SW OF NEETS INTXN UNTIL APPROX OVER NEETS INTXN, AT WHICH PRIMARY RADAR WAS REESTABLISHED. PROB POSSIBLY DUE TO POOR LOCATION OF PWM RADAR ANTENNA AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HOTEL IN CLOSE PROX TO THE ANTENNA AS WELL AS THE NATURAL GROWTH OF TREES IN THE VICINITY. PROB DISCOVERED APPROX 20 MONTHS AGO. ACKNOWLEDGE, FLT CHK AND CONFIRMED AT ALTS BELOW 6000'. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION TO DATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THAT A UCR WAS FILED ABOUT 1 YR AGO. MGMNT ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROB. RPTR SAID THE RADAR EQUIP WAS AN ASR-4 SYS AND IT IS BEING REPLACED SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE. EXACT DATE IS UNKNOWN. FAC MGMNT HAS IMPLEMENT NON RADAR PROCS IN AREA OF KNOWN PROB AREA. RPTR STATES THE CONDITION IS GETTING WORSE. CTLRS ARE FACED WITH DOUBLE AND TRIPLE BEACON RETURNS. RPTR SAID THE UNION WAS PURSUING MGMNT TO TAKE MORE ACTION TO RESOLVE SITUATION.

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.