Narrative:

I was training on the DR1 (east departure) position when all targets (approximately 9 aircraft) went into 'coast.' about 5 seconds later the sweep stopped and all displays were lost. This position is driven by the ASR-8. Instructor immediately went across the room to a position that used the ASR-7 system. The leading aircraft (2) were put on course and switched to ZFW before the ASR-7 system quit. Departures had been stopped from dfw and dal, but there were still about 6-7 aircraft in the airspace. Landline communication with ZFW/uim sector was used to get the aircraft idented and put on course. Entire radar outage lasted about 5-6 mins before some radar was restored. Supplemental information from acn 252200: while working dallas south position on ASR-8 radar, the ASR-7 radar system failed. Dallas north position then moved over to dallas south (ds) and we both began to continue to work. Then the ASR-7 system failed and we transitioned to non-radar the best we could. We stopped all propeller departures and continued to work airborne aircraft. After a while the ASR-7 came back and approximately 5 different radar position were being worked off of scope then went to single system and higher to handle aircraft again. Supplemental information from acn 252188: I was working the feeder west position during the arrival rush, when we lost ARTS and radar in the entire TRACON for several mins. I had no way of controling or separating the approximately 8-10 aircraft I had in my airspace. At the time we were metering the arrs in at a 102 aircraft arrs per hour to dfw airport. 30 an hour to dallas love field. Supplemental information from acn 252190: I was working departure 2 and 3 combined. At approximately XA42 the entire radar system failed. Both ASR-7 and ASR-8. I immediately took action to separate my traffic, using different altitudes. Several aircraft reported at 10000 ft MSL. I cannot guarantee radar separation was maintained at all times, due to radar outage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DFW TRACON ATC EQUIP PROB ASR-7 AND ASR-8 RADAR FAILURE.

Narrative: I WAS TRAINING ON THE DR1 (E DEP) POS WHEN ALL TARGETS (APPROX 9 ACFT) WENT INTO 'COAST.' ABOUT 5 SECONDS LATER THE SWEEP STOPPED AND ALL DISPLAYS WERE LOST. THIS POS IS DRIVEN BY THE ASR-8. INSTRUCTOR IMMEDIATELY WENT ACROSS THE ROOM TO A POS THAT USED THE ASR-7 SYS. THE LEADING ACFT (2) WERE PUT ON COURSE AND SWITCHED TO ZFW BEFORE THE ASR-7 SYS QUIT. DEPS HAD BEEN STOPPED FROM DFW AND DAL, BUT THERE WERE STILL ABOUT 6-7 ACFT IN THE AIRSPACE. LANDLINE COM WITH ZFW/UIM SECTOR WAS USED TO GET THE ACFT IDENTED AND PUT ON COURSE. ENTIRE RADAR OUTAGE LASTED ABOUT 5-6 MINS BEFORE SOME RADAR WAS RESTORED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 252200: WHILE WORKING DALLAS S POS ON ASR-8 RADAR, THE ASR-7 RADAR SYS FAILED. DALLAS N POS THEN MOVED OVER TO DALLAS S (DS) AND WE BOTH BEGAN TO CONTINUE TO WORK. THEN THE ASR-7 SYS FAILED AND WE TRANSITIONED TO NON-RADAR THE BEST WE COULD. WE STOPPED ALL PROP DEPS AND CONTINUED TO WORK AIRBORNE ACFT. AFTER A WHILE THE ASR-7 CAME BACK AND APPROX 5 DIFFERENT RADAR POS WERE BEING WORKED OFF OF SCOPE THEN WENT TO SINGLE SYS AND HIGHER TO HANDLE ACFT AGAIN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 252188: I WAS WORKING THE FEEDER W POS DURING THE ARR RUSH, WHEN WE LOST ARTS AND RADAR IN THE ENTIRE TRACON FOR SEVERAL MINS. I HAD NO WAY OF CTLING OR SEPARATING THE APPROX 8-10 ACFT I HAD IN MY AIRSPACE. AT THE TIME WE WERE METERING THE ARRS IN AT A 102 ACFT ARRS PER HR TO DFW ARPT. 30 AN HR TO DALLAS LOVE FIELD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 252190: I WAS WORKING DEP 2 AND 3 COMBINED. AT APPROX XA42 THE ENTIRE RADAR SYS FAILED. BOTH ASR-7 AND ASR-8. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK ACTION TO SEPARATE MY TFC, USING DIFFERENT ALTS. SEVERAL ACFT RPTED AT 10000 FT MSL. I CANNOT GUARANTEE RADAR SEPARATION WAS MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES, DUE TO RADAR OUTAGE.

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.