When the radar system failed, the approach controller had 5 aircraft holding over the same fix--2 at...

Attributes
ACN	162492
Time
Date	199010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewc airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tracon : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	162492
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Visibility was 1 1/2 mi with a 300' ceiling. Simultaneous approachs were being conducted to runway 28L and 28R. I had 3 aircraft on the approach on tower frequency, 1 aircraft just cleared for the approach and 5 aircraft on a downwind at 6000 and 7000'. There was a radar failure for approximately 6-7 mins before we were able to get cenrap working. The supervisor advised that anyone on the approach should continue with the approach. The aircraft on a downwind I had at alternating altitudes of 6000 and 7000'. Departure controller had no traffic, so I sent my aircraft to a holding pattern at ewc at 5000, 6000 and 7000'. 1 aircraft on a downwind I knew had to be ZOB's airspace. We called them, they idented him and I switched that aircraft to ARTCC frequency. I still had 1 other aircraft, on a downwind approaching ARTCC's airspace, which I climbed to 8000' and sent to ewc. Aircraft were also in a hold at the 4 holding fixes with the center. There had been some miscom with the feeder controller who had aircraft holding at ewc at 8000, 9000 and 10000'. They also had traffic at 6000' which they climbed to 6500'. When cenrap came up was when we realized that 2 aircraft were at 8000'; however, they were about 30 mi apart, the the aircraft at 6500' was about 15 mi from either the 6000 or 7000' traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHEN THE RADAR SYSTEM FAILED, THE APCH CTLR HAD 5 ACFT HOLDING OVER THE SAME FIX--2 AT THE SAME ALT AND 3 WITH ONLY 500' VERTICAL SEPARATION. ADDITIONALLY, 1 ACFT ENTERED ARTCC'S AIRSPACE WITHOUT PROPER COM.

Narrative: VISIBILITY WAS 1 1/2 MI WITH A 300' CEILING. SIMULTANEOUS APCHS WERE BEING CONDUCTED TO RWY 28L AND 28R. I HAD 3 ACFT ON THE APCH ON TWR FREQ, 1 ACFT JUST CLRED FOR THE APCH AND 5 ACFT ON A DOWNWIND AT 6000 AND 7000'. THERE WAS A RADAR FAILURE FOR APPROX 6-7 MINS BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO GET CENRAP WORKING. THE SUPVR ADVISED THAT ANYONE ON THE APCH SHOULD CONTINUE WITH THE APCH. THE ACFT ON A DOWNWIND I HAD AT ALTERNATING ALTS OF 6000 AND 7000'. DEP CTLR HAD NO TFC, SO I SENT MY ACFT TO A HOLDING PATTERN AT EWC AT 5000, 6000 AND 7000'. 1 ACFT ON A DOWNWIND I KNEW HAD TO BE ZOB'S AIRSPACE. WE CALLED THEM, THEY IDENTED HIM AND I SWITCHED THAT ACFT TO ARTCC FREQ. I STILL HAD 1 OTHER ACFT, ON A DOWNWIND APCHING ARTCC'S AIRSPACE, WHICH I CLBED TO 8000' AND SENT TO EWC. ACFT WERE ALSO IN A HOLD AT THE 4 HOLDING FIXES WITH THE CENTER. THERE HAD BEEN SOME MISCOM WITH THE FEEDER CTLR WHO HAD ACFT HOLDING AT EWC AT 8000, 9000 AND 10000'. THEY ALSO HAD TFC AT 6000' WHICH THEY CLBED TO 6500'. WHEN CENRAP CAME UP WAS WHEN WE REALIZED THAT 2 ACFT WERE AT 8000'; HOWEVER, THEY WERE ABOUT 30 MI APART, THE THE ACFT AT 6500' WAS ABOUT 15 MI FROM EITHER THE 6000 OR 7000' TFC.

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.

When the radar system failed, the approach controller had 5 aircraft holding over the same fix--2 at the same altitude and 3 with only 500' vertical separation. Additionally, 1 aircraft entered ARTCC's airspace without proper communication.