ATC equipment problem radar ASR-8.

Attributes
ACN	283379
Time
Date	199409
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pie
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	283379
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

I was working west high radar at the time, I took a handoff from ZMA on air carrier X, a B757, landing tpa, at 10000 ft MSL. When in my airspace, I descended X to 5000 ft and assigned a heading of 080 degrees for vectors to the downwind at tpa. Approximately 10 mi wnw of the pie VOR, the alpha-numeric tag on X dropped off and went into coast/suspend list. I did not notice this because my attention was diverted to an aircraft landing at mcf AFB conflicting with 2 departures off tpa. Meanwhile, X continued eastbound and passed the pie VOR. I did not notice this until final sector at tpa called my attention to it, and by this time X was almost in final airspace (the alpha/numeric tag re-acquired somewhere around the pie VOR). I initiated a turn to the northwest to keep the aircraft west of tampa and switched X to final. This is an on-going problem at tpa, and in my opinion a dangerous situation. It is a known problem, due to the inoperative ASR-9 antenna blocking the ASR-8 antenna, and has been this way for months. A vcr (unsafe condition report) has been filed, but nothing has been done to rectify this situation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated this problem is ongoing. FAA management has told the reporter the problem of 2 radar antenna's will go away when the ASR-9 is commissioned. The commissioning date has come and gone because of problems with the ASR-9. No new date has been set. Reporter stated that data tag swap and drop continues in the blocked area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR ASR-8.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING W HIGH RADAR AT THE TIME, I TOOK A HDOF FROM ZMA ON ACR X, A B757, LNDG TPA, AT 10000 FT MSL. WHEN IN MY AIRSPACE, I DSNDED X TO 5000 FT AND ASSIGNED A HDG OF 080 DEGS FOR VECTORS TO THE DOWNWIND AT TPA. APPROX 10 MI WNW OF THE PIE VOR, THE ALPHA-NUMERIC TAG ON X DROPPED OFF AND WENT INTO COAST/SUSPEND LIST. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS BECAUSE MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO AN ACFT LNDG AT MCF AFB CONFLICTING WITH 2 DEPS OFF TPA. MEANWHILE, X CONTINUED EBOUND AND PASSED THE PIE VOR. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS UNTIL FINAL SECTOR AT TPA CALLED MY ATTN TO IT, AND BY THIS TIME X WAS ALMOST IN FINAL AIRSPACE (THE ALPHA/NUMERIC TAG RE-ACQUIRED SOMEWHERE AROUND THE PIE VOR). I INITIATED A TURN TO THE NW TO KEEP THE ACFT W OF TAMPA AND SWITCHED X TO FINAL. THIS IS AN ON-GOING PROB AT TPA, AND IN MY OPINION A DANGEROUS SIT. IT IS A KNOWN PROB, DUE TO THE INOP ASR-9 ANTENNA BLOCKING THE ASR-8 ANTENNA, AND HAS BEEN THIS WAY FOR MONTHS. A VCR (UNSAFE CONDITION RPT) HAS BEEN FILED, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO RECTIFY THIS SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THIS PROB IS ONGOING. FAA MGMNT HAS TOLD THE RPTR THE PROB OF 2 RADAR ANTENNA'S WILL GO AWAY WHEN THE ASR-9 IS COMMISSIONED. THE COMMISSIONING DATE HAS COME AND GONE BECAUSE OF PROBS WITH THE ASR-9. NO NEW DATE HAS BEEN SET. RPTR STATED THAT DATA TAG SWAP AND DROP CONTINUES IN THE BLOCKED AREA.

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.