Primary radar fails while attempting to vector an emergency aircraft back to the airport.

Attributes
ACN	230182
Time
Date	199212
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eri
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : eri tower : eri tower : mgm
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	230183
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility

Narrative:

On 12/92, while working small aircraft X, a helicopter departing off of erie advised me that he had strange noise and wished to return to the airport. The WX at the time was solid IFR with a low ceiling and visibility. I advised small aircraft X that I could vector him back for an ILS 24 and that we were going to call the crash fire rescue equipment equipment (as a precaution) at that time he advised the noise was now worse and I advised small aircraft X he was now being vectored for an ASR runway 24 approach. As I started the normal procedure for an ASR runway 24 the ARTS (alpha numeric display) froze up on the radar scope. At the same moment I lost all primary targets. I advised small aircraft X that radar contact was lost and suggested he continue northbound which would put the aircraft out over lake erie and away from any congested areas. The supervisor on duty declared an emergency. Another supervisor in the tower said he had the helicopter in radar on the tower display (this is impossible) and that he would vector small aircraft X to the airport. All they had in the tower was beacon returns and that is what the supervisor used to vector small aircraft X. The maintenance tech does not have any idea how the ARTS froze or primary targets were lost. Small aircraft X landed without any incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIMARY RADAR FAILS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO VECTOR AN EMER ACFT BACK TO THE ARPT.

Narrative: ON 12/92, WHILE WORKING SMA X, A HELI DEPARTING OFF OF ERIE ADVISED ME THAT HE HAD STRANGE NOISE AND WISHED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. THE WX AT THE TIME WAS SOLID IFR WITH A LOW CEILING AND VISIBILITY. I ADVISED SMA X THAT I COULD VECTOR HIM BACK FOR AN ILS 24 AND THAT WE WERE GOING TO CALL THE CFR EQUIP (AS A PRECAUTION) AT THAT TIME HE ADVISED THE NOISE WAS NOW WORSE AND I ADVISED SMA X HE WAS NOW BEING VECTORED FOR AN ASR RWY 24 APCH. AS I STARTED THE NORMAL PROC FOR AN ASR RWY 24 THE ARTS (ALPHA NUMERIC DISPLAY) FROZE UP ON THE RADAR SCOPE. AT THE SAME MOMENT I LOST ALL PRIMARY TARGETS. I ADVISED SMA X THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AND SUGGESTED HE CONTINUE NBOUND WHICH WOULD PUT THE ACFT OUT OVER LAKE ERIE AND AWAY FROM ANY CONGESTED AREAS. THE SUPVR ON DUTY DECLARED AN EMER. ANOTHER SUPVR IN THE TWR SAID HE HAD THE HELI IN RADAR ON THE TWR DISPLAY (THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE) AND THAT HE WOULD VECTOR SMA X TO THE ARPT. ALL THEY HAD IN THE TWR WAS BEACON RETURNS AND THAT IS WHAT THE SUPVR USED TO VECTOR SMA X. THE MAINT TECH DOES NOT HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THE ARTS FROZE OR PRIMARY TARGETS WERE LOST. SMA X LANDED WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT.

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.