Narrative:

Approach control radar was inoperative and radar stayed inoperative. Approach control would not issue clearance to bwi VOR or into their airspace. WX was cavu (unlimited visibility). Approach control demanded we cancel our IFR clearance before issuing a clearance into their airspaces. We effected a visibility handoff from ZNY to bwi tower for clearance to land. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated that he had called bwi approach control on second radio to ask for clearance into their area. Reporter was in holding on ZNY frequency at the time. Bwi approach controller told reporter they were unable to issue clearance into their area unless he was VFR. They didn't tell reporter that ZDC was working approach control for bwi. While still on ZNY frequency the reporter then called bwi tower and informed the tower he had runways in sight. Bwi tower issued a clearance to land. Reporter then informed ZNY controller that bwi tower had cleared him to land visually. Reporter stated ZNY controller told him 'frequency changed approved,' and the reporter left the holding pattern and proceeded visually to the airport and landing. Reporter states he did not cancel his IFR clearance. Callback conversation with bwi approach control revealed the following: bwi approach control pps was contacted for information. Pps stated over labor day weekend the new ASR-9 radar at bwi failed. The facility was unable to return the ASR-9 to service so ZDC radar was piped in. ZDC radar became overloaded with tracks at bwi and it failed. This all happened over a several hour period. The tower issued landing clrncs to some VFR air carrier's. ZDC assumed control of bwi airspace during total radar outage at bwi. Delays were extensive during radar outage with many air carrier's diverting.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X LEFT HOLDING PATTERN AND MADE VISUAL APCH WITHOUT APCH CLRNC. PLT DEVIATION. SITUATION: ASR-9 RADAR FAILURE AT BWI.

Narrative: APCH CTL RADAR WAS INOP AND RADAR STAYED INOP. APCH CTL WOULD NOT ISSUE CLRNC TO BWI VOR OR INTO THEIR AIRSPACE. WX WAS CAVU (UNLIMITED VISIBILITY). APCH CTL DEMANDED WE CANCEL OUR IFR CLRNC BEFORE ISSUING A CLRNC INTO THEIR AIRSPACES. WE EFFECTED A VIS HDOF FROM ZNY TO BWI TWR FOR CLRNC TO LAND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD CALLED BWI APCH CTL ON SECOND RADIO TO ASK FOR CLRNC INTO THEIR AREA. RPTR WAS IN HOLDING ON ZNY FREQ AT THE TIME. BWI APCH CTLR TOLD RPTR THEY WERE UNABLE TO ISSUE CLRNC INTO THEIR AREA UNLESS HE WAS VFR. THEY DIDN'T TELL RPTR THAT ZDC WAS WORKING APCH CTL FOR BWI. WHILE STILL ON ZNY FREQ THE RPTR THEN CALLED BWI TWR AND INFORMED THE TWR HE HAD RWYS IN SIGHT. BWI TWR ISSUED A CLRNC TO LAND. RPTR THEN INFORMED ZNY CTLR THAT BWI TWR HAD CLRED HIM TO LAND VISUALLY. RPTR STATED ZNY CTLR TOLD HIM 'FREQ CHANGED APPROVED,' AND THE RPTR LEFT THE HOLDING PATTERN AND PROCEEDED VISUALLY TO THE ARPT AND LNDG. RPTR STATES HE DID NOT CANCEL HIS IFR CLRNC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH BWI APCH CTL REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: BWI APCH CTL PPS WAS CONTACTED FOR INFO. PPS STATED OVER LABOR DAY WEEKEND THE NEW ASR-9 RADAR AT BWI FAILED. THE FAC WAS UNABLE TO RETURN THE ASR-9 TO SVC SO ZDC RADAR WAS PIPED IN. ZDC RADAR BECAME OVERLOADED WITH TRACKS AT BWI AND IT FAILED. THIS ALL HAPPENED OVER A SEVERAL HR PERIOD. THE TWR ISSUED LNDG CLRNCS TO SOME VFR ACR'S. ZDC ASSUMED CTL OF BWI AIRSPACE DURING TOTAL RADAR OUTAGE AT BWI. DELAYS WERE EXTENSIVE DURING RADAR OUTAGE WITH MANY ACR'S DIVERTING.

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.