Controller reporter complains about ASR-9 radar problems and numerous outages.

Attributes
ACN	215063
Time
Date	199207
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cle
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	215063
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

During a period of heavy thunderstorm activity the ASR-9 radar failed. The cleveland hopkins ASR-9 has failed during thunderstorm activity at least a dozen times in the past 18 months since installation. The design is obviously flawed on the ASR-9. At the time, traffic was moderate but due to the thunderstorms in the area and over top the airport, a transition to non radar was nearly impossible. Fortunately no near misses were reported. Any assistance you could provide to have the ASR-9 fixed would be greatly appreciated. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter advises that they have found out what the problem was and have fixed it. Maintenance discovered that the ASR-9 breaker panel was not properly grounded, and as a result, whenever it rained, the radar would fail. Reporter does not blame facility management since they were doing everything they could to find out what the problem. Except for some coasting problem with the ASR-9 system that occasionally surfaces, the equipment is working good.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR RPTR COMPLAINS ABOUT ASR-9 RADAR PROBLEMS AND NUMEROUS OUTAGES.

Narrative: DURING A PERIOD OF HVY TSTM ACTIVITY THE ASR-9 RADAR FAILED. THE CLEVELAND HOPKINS ASR-9 HAS FAILED DURING TSTM ACTIVITY AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS SINCE INSTALLATION. THE DESIGN IS OBVIOUSLY FLAWED ON THE ASR-9. AT THE TIME, TFC WAS MODERATE BUT DUE TO THE TSTMS IN THE AREA AND OVER TOP THE ARPT, A TRANSITION TO NON RADAR WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. FORTUNATELY NO NEAR MISSES WERE RPTED. ANY ASSISTANCE YOU COULD PROVIDE TO HAVE THE ASR-9 FIXED WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR ADVISES THAT THEY HAVE FOUND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND HAVE FIXED IT. MAINT DISCOVERED THAT THE ASR-9 BREAKER PANEL WAS NOT PROPERLY GNDED, AND AS A RESULT, WHENEVER IT RAINED, THE RADAR WOULD FAIL. RPTR DOES NOT BLAME FAC MGMNT SINCE THEY WERE DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM. EXCEPT FOR SOME COASTING PROBLEM WITH THE ASR-9 SYS THAT OCCASIONALLY SURFACES, THE EQUIP IS WORKING GOOD.

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.