ATC equipment problem radar ASR-9. This problem is ongoing.

Attributes
ACN	306417
Time
Date	199506
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slc
State Reference	UT
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	306417
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 1
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:

ASR-9 at slc failed! We were down for about 40 mins and had to use ZLC backup. This problem has been happening since mid april. FAA says it's a power supply problem. Supplemental information from acn 306265: the ASR-9 radar at slc has failed 4 times in 1 week. 2 of these times have been during busy traffic periods. Safety is the big issue with this report and the saving factor during the radar outages is the airport was VFR. Callback conversation with reporter acn #306417 revealed the following information: reporter stated the ASR-9 would fail then the cenrap would not come up. This was due to the emergency generator. Ucr was filed. FAA maintenance was investigating the problem. TRACON procedures officer stated the problem was ongoing. The standby power emergency generator had a fuel filter problem which caused a loss of power to the radar and burned up the generator. A temporary generator was brought in but would not cut in unless the commercial power failed. Facility is now turning on the generator but not changing to standby generator. This seems to have temporarily solved problem. Cenrap is available but takes about 5 mins to bring up. This would also scatter if both power sources were on line.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR ASR-9. THIS PROB IS ONGOING.

Narrative: ASR-9 AT SLC FAILED! WE WERE DOWN FOR ABOUT 40 MINS AND HAD TO USE ZLC BACKUP. THIS PROB HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE MID APRIL. FAA SAYS IT'S A PWR SUPPLY PROB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 306265: THE ASR-9 RADAR AT SLC HAS FAILED 4 TIMES IN 1 WK. 2 OF THESE TIMES HAVE BEEN DURING BUSY TFC PERIODS. SAFETY IS THE BIG ISSUE WITH THIS RPT AND THE SAVING FACTOR DURING THE RADAR OUTAGES IS THE ARPT WAS VFR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN #306417 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE ASR-9 WOULD FAIL THEN THE CENRAP WOULD NOT COME UP. THIS WAS DUE TO THE EMER GENERATOR. UCR WAS FILED. FAA MAINT WAS INVESTIGATING THE PROB. TRACON PROCS OFFICER STATED THE PROB WAS ONGOING. THE STANDBY PWR EMER GENERATOR HAD A FUEL FILTER PROB WHICH CAUSED A LOSS OF PWR TO THE RADAR AND BURNED UP THE GENERATOR. A TEMPORARY GENERATOR WAS BROUGHT IN BUT WOULD NOT CUT IN UNLESS THE COMMERCIAL PWR FAILED. FACILITY IS NOW TURNING ON THE GENERATOR BUT NOT CHANGING TO STANDBY GENERATOR. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE TEMPORARILY SOLVED PROB. CENRAP IS AVAILABLE BUT TAKES ABOUT 5 MINS TO BRING UP. THIS WOULD ALSO SCATTER IF BOTH PWR SOURCES WERE ON LINE.

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.