Narrative:

At XA55Z, flight strip printer sent a message indicating the garden city long range radar site at garden city, ks, would shut down at XB00Z (5 mins notice) for 3 hours. This information was published as a scheduled outage, but was not disseminated to the sector. In addition, these shutdowns are apparently pre-approved many hours in advance. As we all know a lot can happen in several hours. At XC00Z the gck radar was shut down without any other notification to the sector. (This assuming the above mentioned strip would have been delivered in the first place.) by sheer 'act of god' the affected sector was not: 1) assisting a lost aircraft with vectors. 2) monitoring long range vectors between navaids. 3) assisting law enforcement aircraft in their duties. 4) providing vectors to final approach. 5) radar separating aircraft. 6) assisting aircraft around severe WX. Everyone understands the need for shutdowns for maintenance. However, to allow anyone other than the affected sector to have final approval before a non-emergency shutdown is to invite an emergency, with a potential loss to life or property. Maintenance knows where the sector is. We don't move. A telephone call prior to actual shutdown is not only prudent, but in my opinion essential. If there are compelling reasons to delay a shutdown, this is the last chance to do so. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: center supervisor stated procedure is to notify position when coming on duty and then for maintenance to request from area supervisor permission to shut the radar down.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC RADAR SHUTDOWN FOR MAINT.

Narrative: AT XA55Z, FLT STRIP PRINTER SENT A MESSAGE INDICATING THE GARDEN CITY LONG RANGE RADAR SITE AT GARDEN CITY, KS, WOULD SHUT DOWN AT XB00Z (5 MINS NOTICE) FOR 3 HRS. THIS INFO WAS PUBLISHED AS A SCHEDULED OUTAGE, BUT WAS NOT DISSEMINATED TO THE SECTOR. IN ADDITION, THESE SHUTDOWNS ARE APPARENTLY PRE-APPROVED MANY HRS IN ADVANCE. AS WE ALL KNOW A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN SEVERAL HRS. AT XC00Z THE GCK RADAR WAS SHUT DOWN WITHOUT ANY OTHER NOTIFICATION TO THE SECTOR. (THIS ASSUMING THE ABOVE MENTIONED STRIP WOULD HAVE BEEN DELIVERED IN THE FIRST PLACE.) BY SHEER 'ACT OF GOD' THE AFFECTED SECTOR WAS NOT: 1) ASSISTING A LOST ACFT WITH VECTORS. 2) MONITORING LONG RANGE VECTORS BTWN NAVAIDS. 3) ASSISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT ACFT IN THEIR DUTIES. 4) PROVIDING VECTORS TO FINAL APCH. 5) RADAR SEPARATING ACFT. 6) ASSISTING ACFT AROUND SEVERE WX. EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE NEED FOR SHUTDOWNS FOR MAINT. HOWEVER, TO ALLOW ANYONE OTHER THAN THE AFFECTED SECTOR TO HAVE FINAL APPROVAL BEFORE A NON-EMER SHUTDOWN IS TO INVITE AN EMER, WITH A POTENTIAL LOSS TO LIFE OR PROPERTY. MAINT KNOWS WHERE THE SECTOR IS. WE DON'T MOVE. A TELEPHONE CALL PRIOR TO ACTUAL SHUTDOWN IS NOT ONLY PRUDENT, BUT IN MY OPINION ESSENTIAL. IF THERE ARE COMPELLING REASONS TO DELAY A SHUTDOWN, THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE TO DO SO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CTR SUPVR STATED PROC IS TO NOTIFY POS WHEN COMING ON DUTY AND THEN FOR MAINT TO REQUEST FROM AREA SUPVR PERMISSION TO SHUT THE RADAR DOWN.

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.