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D-BRITE scope intermittently drops tags until aircraft are approximately 6 mi from airport on departing aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 254491 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199310 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pdk |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : atl tower : pdk |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Medium Transport |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | departure other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 4 |
| ASRS Report | 254491 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| 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 |
| Situations | |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
I was working ground control at pdk during this event. This is becoming a continuing problem at pdk. Cga X, an mdt, departed at XX19AM. No primary or secondary target appeared until well northwest of our airport. At pdk, through LOA with atl approach, we separate successive departures using our d- BRITE. In the last yr, we have had a recurring problem of losing all targets of aircraft. It's easier to explain it as tag droppage. This happens especially to the east of the airport. I want this on the record because, to date, we have had no loss of separation. This could change at any day. We have filed an unsafe condition report (ucr) and we were told they (airways facilities) changed some components to fix the problem. This was as of oct/xx/93. However, the problem continues today and everyday. All I know that can fix it is a new radar system. I understand atl is scheduled to get an ASR-9 radar. All I can say for myself and my colleagues is that I hope this solves the problem and that it is installed rapidly. This is a problem with severe consequences waiting to happen.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: D-BRITE SCOPE INTERMITTENTLY DROPS TAGS UNTIL ACFT ARE APPROX 6 MI FROM ARPT ON DEPARTING ACFT.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING GND CTL AT PDK DURING THIS EVENT. THIS IS BECOMING A CONTINUING PROB AT PDK. CGA X, AN MDT, DEPARTED AT XX19AM. NO PRIMARY OR SECONDARY TARGET APPEARED UNTIL WELL NW OF OUR ARPT. AT PDK, THROUGH LOA WITH ATL APCH, WE SEPARATE SUCCESSIVE DEPS USING OUR D- BRITE. IN THE LAST YR, WE HAVE HAD A RECURRING PROB OF LOSING ALL TARGETS OF ACFT. IT'S EASIER TO EXPLAIN IT AS TAG DROPPAGE. THIS HAPPENS ESPECIALLY TO THE E OF THE ARPT. I WANT THIS ON THE RECORD BECAUSE, TO DATE, WE HAVE HAD NO LOSS OF SEPARATION. THIS COULD CHANGE AT ANY DAY. WE HAVE FILED AN UNSAFE CONDITION RPT (UCR) AND WE WERE TOLD THEY (AIRWAYS FACILITIES) CHANGED SOME COMPONENTS TO FIX THE PROB. THIS WAS AS OF OCT/XX/93. HOWEVER, THE PROB CONTINUES TODAY AND EVERYDAY. ALL I KNOW THAT CAN FIX IT IS A NEW RADAR SYS. I UNDERSTAND ATL IS SCHEDULED TO GET AN ASR-9 RADAR. ALL I CAN SAY FOR MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES IS THAT I HOPE THIS SOLVES THE PROB AND THAT IT IS INSTALLED RAPIDLY. THIS IS A PROB WITH SEVERE CONSEQUENCES WAITING TO HAPPEN.
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.