Controller reporter complains about poor radar coverage west of airport at pwm.

Attributes
ACN	159251
Time
Date	199008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pwm
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : pwm
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	159251
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

In radar coverage where MVA is 4000'. Aircraft was not radar identifiable at 7000' due to poor radar coverage. This frequently happens west of pwm. ASR radar due to poor coverage. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter stated a new hotel was built within 2000' of the airport which caused radar coverage problems including false targets. The hotel was thought to be 12000' away from the airport prior to being built, but reporter states someone in regional office made mistake. Hotel has been up for approximately one yr. All controller's at facility signed a ucr and sent it in first part of 1990. Radar does not pick up targets to the southwest at lower altitudes. Airspace change made recently to reduce this problem, but it has not eliminated it. Traffic involved is mostly tower en route IFR. Facility is scheduled for new radar, but they won't see it for at least 3 yrs. Reporter also a pilot with approximately 300 hours.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR REPORTER COMPLAINS ABOUT POOR RADAR COVERAGE WEST OF ARPT AT PWM.

Narrative: IN RADAR COVERAGE WHERE MVA IS 4000'. ACFT WAS NOT RADAR IDENTIFIABLE AT 7000' DUE TO POOR RADAR COVERAGE. THIS FREQUENTLY HAPPENS W OF PWM. ASR RADAR DUE TO POOR COVERAGE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATED A NEW HOTEL WAS BUILT WITHIN 2000' OF THE ARPT WHICH CAUSED RADAR COVERAGE PROBS INCLUDING FALSE TARGETS. THE HOTEL WAS THOUGHT TO BE 12000' AWAY FROM THE ARPT PRIOR TO BEING BUILT, BUT RPTR STATES SOMEONE IN REGIONAL OFFICE MADE MISTAKE. HOTEL HAS BEEN UP FOR APPROX ONE YR. ALL CTLR'S AT FAC SIGNED A UCR AND SENT IT IN FIRST PART OF 1990. RADAR DOES NOT PICK UP TARGETS TO THE SW AT LOWER ALTS. AIRSPACE CHANGE MADE RECENTLY TO REDUCE THIS PROB, BUT IT HAS NOT ELIMINATED IT. TFC INVOLVED IS MOSTLY TWR ENRTE IFR. FAC IS SCHEDULED FOR NEW RADAR, BUT THEY WON'T SEE IT FOR AT LEAST 3 YRS. RPTR ALSO A PLT WITH APPROX 300 HRS.

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.