Narrative:

At XA00 am the tower experienced a minor power fluctuation( or 'bump'). The tower emergency generator automatically activated, although commercial power was almost immediately available. The ASR-9 was knocked OTS. Actually, the ASR-9 antenna continued turning without interruption, but the radar displays in the tower and TRACON received absolutely no data from it -- no primary radar, no secondary radar, no ARTS. The outage lasted for 23 mins. ZAU assumed control of our airspace, while cid became a VFR tower. The supervisor, while on the phone with the radar technician, was able to reset the power supply and the ASR-9 was returned to service. Problem: ASR-9 is not on an uninterruptible power supply. We had another 'bump' in power on aug/xx/94 around XB00 pm and again lost the ASR-9, albeit only for a couple of mins. Thunderstorms and lightning also cause the ASR-9 power supply box to lock up. Airport facilities says putting the ASR-9 on uninterruptible power source will solve this problem. Another problem is that our tower emergency generator is of 1940-50's vintage and isn't capable of handling the load required by all the new equipment (ASR-9, mode-south, etc). We need a new generator to prevent interruptions in service and possibly very unsafe sits. New generator has been on order for yrs. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated supervisors and controllers-in-charge are not trained in restoring the radar after a power surge. Reporter stated the present emergency generator is adequate if it only had to handle ATC equipment. Airport facilities technician told the reporter a ups system would prevent the power surges and would solve the problem of radar failure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PWR SURGE CAUSES ATC RADAR FAILURE.

Narrative: AT XA00 AM THE TWR EXPERIENCED A MINOR PWR FLUCTUATION( OR 'BUMP'). THE TWR EMER GENERATOR AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATED, ALTHOUGH COMMERCIAL PWR WAS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE. THE ASR-9 WAS KNOCKED OTS. ACTUALLY, THE ASR-9 ANTENNA CONTINUED TURNING WITHOUT INTERRUPTION, BUT THE RADAR DISPLAYS IN THE TWR AND TRACON RECEIVED ABSOLUTELY NO DATA FROM IT -- NO PRIMARY RADAR, NO SECONDARY RADAR, NO ARTS. THE OUTAGE LASTED FOR 23 MINS. ZAU ASSUMED CTL OF OUR AIRSPACE, WHILE CID BECAME A VFR TWR. THE SUPVR, WHILE ON THE PHONE WITH THE RADAR TECHNICIAN, WAS ABLE TO RESET THE PWR SUPPLY AND THE ASR-9 WAS RETURNED TO SVC. PROB: ASR-9 IS NOT ON AN UNINTERRUPTIBLE PWR SUPPLY. WE HAD ANOTHER 'BUMP' IN PWR ON AUG/XX/94 AROUND XB00 PM AND AGAIN LOST THE ASR-9, ALBEIT ONLY FOR A COUPLE OF MINS. TSTMS AND LIGHTNING ALSO CAUSE THE ASR-9 PWR SUPPLY BOX TO LOCK UP. ARPT FACILITIES SAYS PUTTING THE ASR-9 ON UNINTERRUPTIBLE PWR SOURCE WILL SOLVE THIS PROB. ANOTHER PROB IS THAT OUR TWR EMER GENERATOR IS OF 1940-50'S VINTAGE AND ISN'T CAPABLE OF HANDLING THE LOAD REQUIRED BY ALL THE NEW EQUIP (ASR-9, MODE-S, ETC). WE NEED A NEW GENERATOR TO PREVENT INTERRUPTIONS IN SVC AND POSSIBLY VERY UNSAFE SITS. NEW GENERATOR HAS BEEN ON ORDER FOR YRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED SUPVRS AND CTLRS-IN-CHARGE ARE NOT TRAINED IN RESTORING THE RADAR AFTER A PWR SURGE. RPTR STATED THE PRESENT EMER GENERATOR IS ADEQUATE IF IT ONLY HAD TO HANDLE ATC EQUIP. ARPT FACILITIES TECHNICIAN TOLD THE RPTR A UPS SYS WOULD PREVENT THE PWR SURGES AND WOULD SOLVE THE PROB OF RADAR FAILURE.

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.