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Frequent radar failures occur after facility moves to new control room.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 221549 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199208 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dtw |
| State Reference | MI |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dtw |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 221549 |
| 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:
The radar failures affected all IFR and VFR traffic within the detroit metropolitan airspace, including a TCA. As of sep/xx/92, there have been 15 different failures, of some part, of the ASR 9 system since the move to the new facility on aug/xx/92. Also beacon channels 1 and 2 have been carried on the daily facility status log as having 'coasting' problems since sep/xx/92 (maybe a possible connection)? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter claims that some recent work on the cabling and other areas of the ASR 9 radar has taken care of most of their problems. He said that they have not had any outages for the past week, but was reluctant to say that they found the permanent fix. He stated that they moved to their new building in aug of this yr and that's when they began using the ASR 9 system. A ucr was filed, but no response received as of this date. The backup system when the ASR 9 fails is center radar called 'sunrap.' the radar coverage is not good at lower altitudes. Reporter stated that facility management is responsive, however, there is only so much that they can do.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FREQUENT RADAR FAILURES OCCUR AFTER FACILITY MOVES TO NEW CTL ROOM.
Narrative: THE RADAR FAILURES AFFECTED ALL IFR AND VFR TFC WITHIN THE DETROIT METROPOLITAN AIRSPACE, INCLUDING A TCA. AS OF SEP/XX/92, THERE HAVE BEEN 15 DIFFERENT FAILURES, OF SOME PART, OF THE ASR 9 SYS SINCE THE MOVE TO THE NEW FACILITY ON AUG/XX/92. ALSO BEACON CHANNELS 1 AND 2 HAVE BEEN CARRIED ON THE DAILY FACILITY STATUS LOG AS HAVING 'COASTING' PROBLEMS SINCE SEP/XX/92 (MAYBE A POSSIBLE CONNECTION)? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR CLAIMS THAT SOME RECENT WORK ON THE CABLING AND OTHER AREAS OF THE ASR 9 RADAR HAS TAKEN CARE OF MOST OF THEIR PROBLEMS. HE SAID THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY OUTAGES FOR THE PAST WK, BUT WAS RELUCTANT TO SAY THAT THEY FOUND THE PERMANENT FIX. HE STATED THAT THEY MOVED TO THEIR NEW BUILDING IN AUG OF THIS YR AND THAT'S WHEN THEY BEGAN USING THE ASR 9 SYS. A UCR WAS FILED, BUT NO RESPONSE RECEIVED AS OF THIS DATE. THE BACKUP SYS WHEN THE ASR 9 FAILS IS CTR RADAR CALLED 'SUNRAP.' THE RADAR COVERAGE IS NOT GOOD AT LOWER ALTS. RPTR STATED THAT FACILITY MGMNT IS RESPONSIVE, HOWEVER, THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH THAT THEY CAN DO.
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.