ATC equipment problem radar ARTS failed. No radar technician available to restore.

Attributes
ACN	272871
Time
Date	199405
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tys
State Reference	TN
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	272871
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I reported to the radar room and worked radar data as the ARTS had gone off line at X17Z. I worked until after the ARTS was returned to service 2 hours later. The operation was impacted because at the time there were several aircraft at critical position (i.e., needed to be turned on ILS, being vectored to the approach) and no technician was immediately available to correct the problem. The ARTS was consequently released to maintenance at Y28Z and returned at Y30Z. The following day the ARTS was again released to maintenance at X55Z and returned at Y55Z. The procedure to call mpp was followed as outlined in directives, but, if a technician had been on duty at the time, the problem could have been fixed in 15 mins as opposed to the much longer time it actually took. In my opinion, technicians should be on duty at all times of traditionally steady traffic. This basically includes the hours from 0630-2400 local.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR ARTS FAILED. NO RADAR TECHNICIAN AVAILABLE TO RESTORE.

Narrative: I RPTED TO THE RADAR ROOM AND WORKED RADAR DATA AS THE ARTS HAD GONE OFF LINE AT X17Z. I WORKED UNTIL AFTER THE ARTS WAS RETURNED TO SVC 2 HRS LATER. THE OP WAS IMPACTED BECAUSE AT THE TIME THERE WERE SEVERAL ACFT AT CRITICAL POS (I.E., NEEDED TO BE TURNED ON ILS, BEING VECTORED TO THE APCH) AND NO TECHNICIAN WAS IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE TO CORRECT THE PROB. THE ARTS WAS CONSEQUENTLY RELEASED TO MAINT AT Y28Z AND RETURNED AT Y30Z. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE ARTS WAS AGAIN RELEASED TO MAINT AT X55Z AND RETURNED AT Y55Z. THE PROC TO CALL MPP WAS FOLLOWED AS OUTLINED IN DIRECTIVES, BUT, IF A TECHNICIAN HAD BEEN ON DUTY AT THE TIME, THE PROB COULD HAVE BEEN FIXED IN 15 MINS AS OPPOSED TO THE MUCH LONGER TIME IT ACTUALLY TOOK. IN MY OPINION, TECHNICIANS SHOULD BE ON DUTY AT ALL TIMES OF TRADITIONALLY STEADY TFC. THIS BASICALLY INCLUDES THE HRS FROM 0630-2400 LCL.

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.