Narrative:

I was working west final radar approach control combined with east final. Clt was landing runways 18R, 18L, 23 and departing runways 18R and 18L. Satellite radar east handed off small transport X, a cessna 320 to me, heading 360 degrees climbing to 2600 ft. X departed to go eastbound. He had to come back to clt due to low clouds. His ground track brought him back to clt airport to a point 1 mi east of the airport and he stated, 'I need an IFR clearance.' I called the tower and told them small transport X is unable to maintain VFR. I will give him an IFR clearance heading 320 degrees to maintain 4000 ft. I issued the clearance to him and advised radar contact lost. The loss was due to the aircraft being over the radar antenna. After asking him his heading, he stated 320 degrees. He ended up 2 1/2 mi south of the airport at 2500 ft sbound, when radar was re-established. I turned him immediately to heading 270 degrees to avoid departures off the airport. Supplemental information from acn 285062: local east controller reported they no longer see small aircraft X and believe he is over the airport and the radar main bang. I am working local control west and when I heard this I had 1 departure just airborne. When the departure was 1 NM south of the airport I noticed a target with no transponder at his/her 12 O'clock and 1 mi. I issue an immediate right turn wbound and resolve the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. PLTDEV. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING W FINAL RADAR APCH CTL COMBINED WITH E FINAL. CLT WAS LNDG RWYS 18R, 18L, 23 AND DEPARTING RWYS 18R AND 18L. SATELLITE RADAR E HANDED OFF SMT X, A CESSNA 320 TO ME, HDG 360 DEGS CLBING TO 2600 FT. X DEPARTED TO GO EBOUND. HE HAD TO COME BACK TO CLT DUE TO LOW CLOUDS. HIS GND TRACK BROUGHT HIM BACK TO CLT ARPT TO A POINT 1 MI E OF THE ARPT AND HE STATED, 'I NEED AN IFR CLRNC.' I CALLED THE TWR AND TOLD THEM SMT X IS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR. I WILL GIVE HIM AN IFR CLRNC HDG 320 DEGS TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT. I ISSUED THE CLRNC TO HIM AND ADVISED RADAR CONTACT LOST. THE LOSS WAS DUE TO THE ACFT BEING OVER THE RADAR ANTENNA. AFTER ASKING HIM HIS HDG, HE STATED 320 DEGS. HE ENDED UP 2 1/2 MI S OF THE ARPT AT 2500 FT SBOUND, WHEN RADAR WAS RE-ESTABLISHED. I TURNED HIM IMMEDIATELY TO HDG 270 DEGS TO AVOID DEPS OFF THE ARPT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 285062: LCL E CTLR RPTED THEY NO LONGER SEE SMA X AND BELIEVE HE IS OVER THE ARPT AND THE RADAR MAIN BANG. I AM WORKING LCL CTL W AND WHEN I HEARD THIS I HAD 1 DEP JUST AIRBORNE. WHEN THE DEP WAS 1 NM S OF THE ARPT I NOTICED A TARGET WITH NO XPONDER AT HIS/HER 12 O'CLOCK AND 1 MI. I ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN WBOUND AND RESOLVE THE PROB.

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.