Icss failure causes total loss of communication in tower.

Attributes
ACN	290228
Time
Date	199412
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pae
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 7 controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	290228
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 7 controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	290118
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

All control position, all main and standby frequencys failed. Aircraft were in various phases of flight on both tower frequencys, and were also taxiing on ground frequency. 2 mins passed before position were reset and 2-WAY communications were re-established. Supplemental information from acn 290118: while I was briefing another controller (my relief) for LC1 (1 of our tower position) we experienced total failure of the icss position, resulting in loss of all radio and landline communication capabilities on this position. A twin cessna on an opposite direction practice instrument approach had previously been instructed to execute a missed approach on a 2 mi final if he lost communication with us. When he could not reach us, he complied with these instructions and broke off his approach. A ucr is pending regarding this situation. I have also expressed a complaint to the FAA administrator's safety hotline. I'd appreciate any other suggestions you might have to help get this problem corrected. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated it was the icss that failed causing loss of communication. Only 1 gonset set in tower. Icss is old and was investigated by FAA airways facilities technicians. Technicians said humidity was causing static electricity and knocking out the system. System needs to be grounded but they are trying a humidifier in the tower to see if that solves the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ICSS FAILURE CAUSES TOTAL LOSS OF COM IN TWR.

Narrative: ALL CTL POS, ALL MAIN AND STANDBY FREQS FAILED. ACFT WERE IN VARIOUS PHASES OF FLT ON BOTH TWR FREQS, AND WERE ALSO TAXIING ON GND FREQ. 2 MINS PASSED BEFORE POS WERE RESET AND 2-WAY COMS WERE RE-ESTABLISHED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 290118: WHILE I WAS BRIEFING ANOTHER CTLR (MY RELIEF) FOR LC1 (1 OF OUR TWR POS) WE EXPERIENCED TOTAL FAILURE OF THE ICSS POS, RESULTING IN LOSS OF ALL RADIO AND LANDLINE COM CAPABILITIES ON THIS POS. A TWIN CESSNA ON AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION PRACTICE INST APCH HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INSTRUCTED TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH ON A 2 MI FINAL IF HE LOST COM WITH US. WHEN HE COULD NOT REACH US, HE COMPLIED WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS AND BROKE OFF HIS APCH. A UCR IS PENDING REGARDING THIS SIT. I HAVE ALSO EXPRESSED A COMPLAINT TO THE FAA ADMINISTRATOR'S SAFETY HOTLINE. I'D APPRECIATE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HELP GET THIS PROB CORRECTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED IT WAS THE ICSS THAT FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF COM. ONLY 1 GONSET SET IN TWR. ICSS IS OLD AND WAS INVESTIGATED BY FAA AIRWAYS FACILITIES TECHNICIANS. TECHNICIANS SAID HUMIDITY WAS CAUSING STATIC ELECTRICITY AND KNOCKING OUT THE SYS. SYS NEEDS TO BE GNDED BUT THEY ARE TRYING A HUMIDIFIER IN THE TWR TO SEE IF THAT SOLVES 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.