ATC equipment problem radar ASR-9 failure. Ongoing problem. Standby power generator problem.

Attributes
ACN	306446
Time
Date	199506
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
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	306446
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 5 controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	306243
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Sat morning the ASR-9 radar failed for the 5TH time since mid apr due to a power supply problem. The back up did not come on this time. Supplemental information from acn 306243: ASR-9 radar failure has happen 4 times in the last week while I have been working. It has also not been possible to bring up the back up cenrap procedures up for unknown reasons leaving us in the dark for 5 to 10 mins at a time. Safety of flight was most definitely at stake. At the time of last occurrence 20 or more aircraft were in approach airspace at different phases of flight confign. Callback conversation with reporter acn# 306243 revealed the following: 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 power. This seems to have temporarily solved the 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 FAILURE. ONGOING PROB. STANDBY PWR GENERATOR PROB.

Narrative: SAT MORNING THE ASR-9 RADAR FAILED FOR THE 5TH TIME SINCE MID APR DUE TO A PWR SUPPLY PROB. THE BACK UP DID NOT COME ON THIS TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 306243: ASR-9 RADAR FAILURE HAS HAPPEN 4 TIMES IN THE LAST WK WHILE I HAVE BEEN WORKING. IT HAS ALSO NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO BRING UP THE BACK UP CENRAP PROCS UP FOR UNKNOWN REASONS LEAVING US IN THE DARK FOR 5 TO 10 MINS AT A TIME. SAFETY OF FLT WAS MOST DEFINITELY AT STAKE. AT THE TIME OF LAST OCCURRENCE 20 OR MORE ACFT WERE IN APCH AIRSPACE AT DIFFERENT PHASES OF FLT CONFIGN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN# 306243 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: 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 PWR. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE TEMPORARILY SOLVED THE 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.