ATC radar equipment problem ARTS III failed.

Attributes
ACN	252375
Time
Date	199309
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cmh
State Reference	OH
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	252375
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On sep/thu/93, while working radar, the entire facility lost our ARTS or alpha-numeric readout of the aircraft's transponder. This had happened approximately 7 times prior to us losing it completely. At this time our maintenance people and computer people have no idea to the cause of the problem. The loss of this invaluable tool could have had severe repercussions, and it is imperative that the problem never occur again. It seems that the problem is because of a glitch in our 3:04 program.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC RADAR EQUIP PROB ARTS III FAILED.

Narrative: ON SEP/THU/93, WHILE WORKING RADAR, THE ENTIRE FACILITY LOST OUR ARTS OR ALPHA-NUMERIC READOUT OF THE ACFT'S XPONDER. THIS HAD HAPPENED APPROX 7 TIMES PRIOR TO US LOSING IT COMPLETELY. AT THIS TIME OUR MAINT PEOPLE AND COMPUTER PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA TO THE CAUSE OF THE PROB. THE LOSS OF THIS INVALUABLE TOOL COULD HAVE HAD SEVERE REPERCUSSIONS, AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE PROB NEVER OCCUR AGAIN. IT SEEMS THAT THE PROB IS BECAUSE OF A GLITCH IN OUR 3:04 PROGRAM.

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.