ATC equipment problem radar failed.

Attributes
ACN	159790
Time
Date	199010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 10 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	159790
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was working the arrival sector to sfo, at bay approach control. At a.M. Local, bay experience a complete radar failure of the ASR7 system, which my sector uses. The outage lasted approximately 1-2 mins. At the time we were vectoring 2 aircraft for visibility approachs, side-by-side, at sfo. There were 2 other aircraft on frequency, also being vectored to sfo. During the outage, the 2 aircraft being vectored for side-by approachs were on converging headings. Fortunately, conditions were VMC and one could see the other, and was subsequently instructed to follow that aircraft for a visibility approach to sfo. Also very fortunate was the fact that traffic in my sector was light. The potential for problems here is enormous. The sfo final sector handles so many aircraft in such a short time that flight progress strips cannot be used. We routinely have aircraft pointed at each other for the purpose of conducting side-by-side operations, or for close in trail spacing. The combination of aircraft converging, and no strips as a backup, could prove devastating during a radar failure during busy/IFR conditions. I believe our radar technicians/supervisory staff did an excellent job of restoring the system; however, some of our radar equipment is over 20 yrs old, and I see more problems of this nature occurring.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIPMENT PROBLEM RADAR FAILED.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE ARR SECTOR TO SFO, AT BAY APCH CTL. AT A.M. LCL, BAY EXPERIENCE A COMPLETE RADAR FAILURE OF THE ASR7 SYS, WHICH MY SECTOR USES. THE OUTAGE LASTED APPROX 1-2 MINS. AT THE TIME WE WERE VECTORING 2 ACFT FOR VIS APCHS, SIDE-BY-SIDE, AT SFO. THERE WERE 2 OTHER ACFT ON FREQ, ALSO BEING VECTORED TO SFO. DURING THE OUTAGE, THE 2 ACFT BEING VECTORED FOR SIDE-BY APCHS WERE ON CONVERGING HDGS. FORTUNATELY, CONDITIONS WERE VMC AND ONE COULD SEE THE OTHER, AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW THAT ACFT FOR A VIS APCH TO SFO. ALSO VERY FORTUNATE WAS THE FACT THAT TFC IN MY SECTOR WAS LIGHT. THE POTENTIAL FOR PROBS HERE IS ENORMOUS. THE SFO FINAL SECTOR HANDLES SO MANY ACFT IN SUCH A SHORT TIME THAT FLT PROGRESS STRIPS CANNOT BE USED. WE ROUTINELY HAVE ACFT POINTED AT EACH OTHER FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING SIDE-BY-SIDE OPS, OR FOR CLOSE IN TRAIL SPACING. THE COMBINATION OF ACFT CONVERGING, AND NO STRIPS AS A BACKUP, COULD PROVE DEVASTATING DURING A RADAR FAILURE DURING BUSY/IFR CONDITIONS. I BELIEVE OUR RADAR TECHNICIANS/SUPERVISORY STAFF DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF RESTORING THE SYS; HOWEVER, SOME OF OUR RADAR EQUIP IS OVER 20 YRS OLD, AND I SEE MORE PROBS OF THIS NATURE OCCURRING.

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.