ATC equipment problem wind indicators LLWAS.

Attributes
ACN	264305
Time
Date	199402
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sat
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	264305
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Our LLWAS (wind instrument) has been out for 2 plus days now. Due to this outage, we have been unable to hold short on our crossing runways, even though the wind sock appears to indicate hold short winds. This problem has created many delays and several gars. During spring we have a lot of fronts push through that also create hazardous WX. The LLWAS is used to monitor wind shear this time of yr more than any other. As for the corrective action, our maintenance people have indicated to us that they have no idea what's wrong or how to correct it. Also, several aircraft/pilots have reported tailwind components which we have no idea about. We also appear to be receiving gusts that appear to be a tailwind at times. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: sat facility supervisor stated the LLWAS was OTS for 2 days. FAA maintenance had to get a crane to lift some of the replacement equipment. Center field wind was available and was issued. LLWAS was returned to service after 2 days.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB WIND INDICATORS LLWAS.

Narrative: OUR LLWAS (WIND INST) HAS BEEN OUT FOR 2 PLUS DAYS NOW. DUE TO THIS OUTAGE, WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO HOLD SHORT ON OUR XING RWYS, EVEN THOUGH THE WIND SOCK APPEARS TO INDICATE HOLD SHORT WINDS. THIS PROB HAS CREATED MANY DELAYS AND SEVERAL GARS. DURING SPRING WE HAVE A LOT OF FRONTS PUSH THROUGH THAT ALSO CREATE HAZARDOUS WX. THE LLWAS IS USED TO MONITOR WIND SHEAR THIS TIME OF YR MORE THAN ANY OTHER. AS FOR THE CORRECTIVE ACTION, OUR MAINT PEOPLE HAVE INDICATED TO US THAT THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S WRONG OR HOW TO CORRECT IT. ALSO, SEVERAL ACFT/PLTS HAVE RPTED TAILWIND COMPONENTS WHICH WE HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT. WE ALSO APPEAR TO BE RECEIVING GUSTS THAT APPEAR TO BE A TAILWIND AT TIMES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: SAT FACILITY SUPVR STATED THE LLWAS WAS OTS FOR 2 DAYS. FAA MAINT HAD TO GET A CRANE TO LIFT SOME OF THE REPLACEMENT EQUIP. CTR FIELD WIND WAS AVAILABLE AND WAS ISSUED. LLWAS WAS RETURNED TO SVC AFTER 2 DAYS.

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.