Narrative:

On jan/fri/93, at about XX00Z, we experienced total power failure in the tower, losing all equipment including radios, BRITE scope, fdio, and saids. We called the TRACON via direct line and found they also had experienced total power failure, losing all radar scopes and radio frequencys. For some reason, the emergency power generator did not automatic-start with the loss of commercial power. Afs was contacted by the TRACON and the generator was started. Soon after the generator was started (after about 10-15 mins of no power) we smelled some sort of smoke/odor. The generator was shut down (as it apparently had started an electrical short after starting) and the tower experienced a second loss of power. In about 5-10 mins, commercial power was restored. In talking with other controllers about this event (people in the facility during the event), I really got scared. Luckily, there were no conflicts in sav's airspace during the outage. In the time I have been here, I know during peak hours something terrible could have happened. Additionally, with the smoke downstairs, the new fire alarm did not activate! I don't know had bad it got downstairs, but we had to turn on the exhaust fan and open the roof hatch in the tower cabin attendant. Something needs to be done to prevent this in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TOTAL LOSS OF COMMERCIAL PWR CAUSES ALL TWR AND TRACON EQUIP TO FAIL. BACKUP PWR GENERATOR ALSO FAILS WHEN AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IS DISCOVERED.

Narrative: ON JAN/FRI/93, AT ABOUT XX00Z, WE EXPERIENCED TOTAL PWR FAILURE IN THE TWR, LOSING ALL EQUIP INCLUDING RADIOS, BRITE SCOPE, FDIO, AND SAIDS. WE CALLED THE TRACON VIA DIRECT LINE AND FOUND THEY ALSO HAD EXPERIENCED TOTAL PWR FAILURE, LOSING ALL RADAR SCOPES AND RADIO FREQS. FOR SOME REASON, THE EMER PWR GENERATOR DID NOT AUTO-START WITH THE LOSS OF COMMERCIAL PWR. AFS WAS CONTACTED BY THE TRACON AND THE GENERATOR WAS STARTED. SOON AFTER THE GENERATOR WAS STARTED (AFTER ABOUT 10-15 MINS OF NO PWR) WE SMELLED SOME SORT OF SMOKE/ODOR. THE GENERATOR WAS SHUT DOWN (AS IT APPARENTLY HAD STARTED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AFTER STARTING) AND THE TWR EXPERIENCED A SECOND LOSS OF PWR. IN ABOUT 5-10 MINS, COMMERCIAL PWR WAS RESTORED. IN TALKING WITH OTHER CTLRS ABOUT THIS EVENT (PEOPLE IN THE FACILITY DURING THE EVENT), I REALLY GOT SCARED. LUCKILY, THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS IN SAV'S AIRSPACE DURING THE OUTAGE. IN THE TIME I HAVE BEEN HERE, I KNOW DURING PEAK HRS SOMETHING TERRIBLE COULD HAVE HAPPENED. ADDITIONALLY, WITH THE SMOKE DOWNSTAIRS, THE NEW FIRE ALARM DID NOT ACTIVATE! I DON'T KNOW HAD BAD IT GOT DOWNSTAIRS, BUT WE HAD TO TURN ON THE EXHAUST FAN AND OPEN THE ROOF HATCH IN THE TWR CAB. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE.

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.