ATC equipment problem radar maintenance backup center radar data tag drop. Sector overload.

Attributes
ACN	252989
Time
Date	199309
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cle
State Reference	OH
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	252989
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While working the arrival west and east combined (feeder position), numerous ARTS tags were dropping. Cenrap was up (backup center radar) due to maintenance being performed. No flow initiated by us to the center. Did not split the feeder position. The xa O'clock push is the busiest arrival rush of the day. I had too many airplanes with no tags. 2 airplanes traveled at least 15 mi before I realized they were not tag. The main rush was at wakem intersection and gonne intersection. This could have been a serious incident and possibly a midair collision if not worked out in time. Aircraft at 10000 ft and 7000 ft over gonne intersection and 10000 ft and 9000 ft over wakem intersection all heading towards the right downwind for runway 23L. Some were tag some were not. Lost radar with some, too. Never should have performed maintenance during a push. Should have flowed arrs from center. Should have split the feeders.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR MAINT BACKUP CTR RADAR DATA TAG DROP. SECTOR OVERLOAD.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING THE ARR W AND E COMBINED (FEEDER POS), NUMEROUS ARTS TAGS WERE DROPPING. CENRAP WAS UP (BACKUP CTR RADAR) DUE TO MAINT BEING PERFORMED. NO FLOW INITIATED BY US TO THE CTR. DID NOT SPLIT THE FEEDER POS. THE XA O'CLOCK PUSH IS THE BUSIEST ARR RUSH OF THE DAY. I HAD TOO MANY AIRPLANES WITH NO TAGS. 2 AIRPLANES TRAVELED AT LEAST 15 MI BEFORE I REALIZED THEY WERE NOT TAG. THE MAIN RUSH WAS AT WAKEM INTXN AND GONNE INTXN. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS INCIDENT AND POSSIBLY A MIDAIR COLLISION IF NOT WORKED OUT IN TIME. ACFT AT 10000 FT AND 7000 FT OVER GONNE INTXN AND 10000 FT AND 9000 FT OVER WAKEM INTXN ALL HEADING TOWARDS THE R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 23L. SOME WERE TAG SOME WERE NOT. LOST RADAR WITH SOME, TOO. NEVER SHOULD HAVE PERFORMED MAINT DURING A PUSH. SHOULD HAVE FLOWED ARRS FROM CTR. SHOULD HAVE SPLIT THE FEEDERS.

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.