Narrative:

Small aircraft X contacted abq approach stating that he had an electrical failure and was coming through tijeras canyon east of abq. Approach advised him to make straight-in for runway 30, but received no acknowledgement and no further transmissions were received. Because of the condition of our primary radar, no clear target of this aircraft was observed until he was on a 1 1/2 mi final for runway 30. It was dark, and he had no lights, so our radar was the only chance we had of finding him. Small aircraft X landed safely, but the incident demonstrates a serious problem at our facility. The ASR-8 at abq needs to be replaced. The FAA recognized this some time ago, and has built an ASR-9 at abq, but even though the ASR-9 was completed almost a yr ago, it has not been initialized and certified because of priorities elsewhere. 2 days after the above incident, small aircraft Y was on final for runway 17, when his transponder went out. Again, no primary target was observed until the aircraft was on a mi final. I questioned af about the situation, and was advised that 6 'cards' had to be replaced within the ASR-8 system. I was further advised that 4 control panels also needed rebuilding. This fact was highlighted the evening of oct/xx/92, as a supervisor was attempting to transfer radar control from the TRACON to the cabin attendant, the entire radar shut down, and the antenna stopped turning. I believe that the af people at abq are second to none, for when we present them with a problem, we usually get action instead of excuses. As of this writing, the 6 'cards' have been replaced, and 2 of the 4 control panels are in okc for rebuilding. But why are we wasting time and money to patch an old system which is proving to be unreliable, when the ASR-9 is in place and ready to go? I believe that the FAA's priorities are misplaced, and that immediate steps need to be taken to ensure reliable radar service in the abq area. We need our ASR-9 system turned on now.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR COMPLAINS ABOUT POOR RADAR COVERAGE WITH PRESENT ASR-8 SYS. WANTS ASR-9 RADAR.

Narrative: SMA X CONTACTED ABQ APCH STATING THAT HE HAD AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND WAS COMING THROUGH TIJERAS CANYON E OF ABQ. APCH ADVISED HIM TO MAKE STRAIGHT-IN FOR RWY 30, BUT RECEIVED NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED. BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION OF OUR PRIMARY RADAR, NO CLR TARGET OF THIS ACFT WAS OBSERVED UNTIL HE WAS ON A 1 1/2 MI FINAL FOR RWY 30. IT WAS DARK, AND HE HAD NO LIGHTS, SO OUR RADAR WAS THE ONLY CHANCE WE HAD OF FINDING HIM. SMA X LANDED SAFELY, BUT THE INCIDENT DEMONSTRATES A SERIOUS PROBLEM AT OUR FACILITY. THE ASR-8 AT ABQ NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE FAA RECOGNIZED THIS SOME TIME AGO, AND HAS BUILT AN ASR-9 AT ABQ, BUT EVEN THOUGH THE ASR-9 WAS COMPLETED ALMOST A YR AGO, IT HAS NOT BEEN INITIALIZED AND CERTIFIED BECAUSE OF PRIORITIES ELSEWHERE. 2 DAYS AFTER THE ABOVE INCIDENT, SMA Y WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 17, WHEN HIS TRANSPONDER WENT OUT. AGAIN, NO PRIMARY TARGET WAS OBSERVED UNTIL THE ACFT WAS ON A MI FINAL. I QUESTIONED AF ABOUT THE SITUATION, AND WAS ADVISED THAT 6 'CARDS' HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN THE ASR-8 SYS. I WAS FURTHER ADVISED THAT 4 CTL PANELS ALSO NEEDED REBUILDING. THIS FACT WAS HIGHLIGHTED THE EVENING OF OCT/XX/92, AS A SUPVR WAS ATTEMPTING TO TRANSFER RADAR CTL FROM THE TRACON TO THE CAB, THE ENTIRE RADAR SHUT DOWN, AND THE ANTENNA STOPPED TURNING. I BELIEVE THAT THE AF PEOPLE AT ABQ ARE SECOND TO NONE, FOR WHEN WE PRESENT THEM WITH A PROBLEM, WE USUALLY GET ACTION INSTEAD OF EXCUSES. AS OF THIS WRITING, THE 6 'CARDS' HAVE BEEN REPLACED, AND 2 OF THE 4 CTL PANELS ARE IN OKC FOR REBUILDING. BUT WHY ARE WE WASTING TIME AND MONEY TO PATCH AN OLD SYS WHICH IS PROVING TO BE UNRELIABLE, WHEN THE ASR-9 IS IN PLACE AND READY TO GO? I BELIEVE THAT THE FAA'S PRIORITIES ARE MISPLACED, AND THAT IMMEDIATE STEPS NEED TO BE TAKEN TO ENSURE RELIABLE RADAR SVC IN THE ABQ AREA. WE NEED OUR ASR-9 SYS TURNED ON NOW.

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.