Complete loss of ATCT TRACON ARTCC interfacility coordination at sav because of cut telephone lines.

Attributes
ACN	219026
Time
Date	199208
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sav
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	219026
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

At approximately XX15 local savannah approach control and tower lost all communication with ZJX, marine beaufort approach control, and hunter tower. All interfacility, landline, and telephone capabilities were lost due to construction crew working east of savannah control tower, cutting cable. Cable was marked with flags. Cable was first dug up by a large shovel then cut by construction crew. At the time of the communication loss, there was only 1 technician on duty and his lack of knowledge severely hampered the restoration of even basic backup emergency communication. I contacted macon FSS via emergency frequency 243.0 and advised them to contact ZJX and nbc approach and advise them of our situation. ZJX was given our airspace via macon FSS. Several aircraft were required to cancel IFR with savannah approach in order to continue on their route of flight. This incident changed savannah approach control from a level 3 radar facility to a VFR tower for 3 hours.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPLETE LOSS OF ATCT TRACON ARTCC INTERFAC COORD AT SAV BECAUSE OF CUT TELEPHONE LINES.

Narrative: AT APPROX XX15 LCL SAVANNAH APCH CTL AND TWR LOST ALL COM WITH ZJX, MARINE BEAUFORT APCH CTL, AND HUNTER TWR. ALL INTERFAC, LANDLINE, AND TELEPHONE CAPABILITIES WERE LOST DUE TO CONSTRUCTION CREW WORKING E OF SAVANNAH CTL TWR, CUTTING CABLE. CABLE WAS MARKED WITH FLAGS. CABLE WAS FIRST DUG UP BY A LARGE SHOVEL THEN CUT BY CONSTRUCTION CREW. AT THE TIME OF THE COM LOSS, THERE WAS ONLY 1 TECHNICIAN ON DUTY AND HIS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE SEVERELY HAMPERED THE RESTORATION OF EVEN BASIC BACKUP EMER COM. I CONTACTED MACON FSS VIA EMER FREQ 243.0 AND ADVISED THEM TO CONTACT ZJX AND NBC APCH AND ADVISE THEM OF OUR SITUATION. ZJX WAS GIVEN OUR AIRSPACE VIA MACON FSS. SEVERAL ACFT WERE REQUIRED TO CANCEL IFR WITH SAVANNAH APCH IN ORDER TO CONTINUE ON THEIR RTE OF FLT. THIS INCIDENT CHANGED SAVANNAH APCH CTL FROM A LEVEL 3 RADAR FACILITY TO A VFR TWR FOR 3 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.