Narrative:

On jun/sat/95 I was working the non radar position 4 at ZSU. At XX23Z the facility lost all power. The backup batteries were not functional causing the computer system, radar and radios to fail. During the next 6 mins there were 50-70 aircraft in the air under no control. The radars were out and also the frequencys. At XX29 the backup system finally came up on line. This was also the same time the generators were started manually by maintenance personnel. At XX50Z the primary radar system was back on line. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: facility manager stated the facility had 2 power failures in june and the emergency generator did not come up for 7 mins. The emergency generators are old and use air pressure to get started. This takes 7 mins. The ups system is supposed to cover until the generators come on line. In the first incident a battery failed and in the second the main technician shut the ups system off because it was about to overheat and blow up. Manager said the facility is to get a new ups system next yr and maybe generators.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR COM PWR FAILURE CAUSED RADAR AND FREQ FAILURE. STANDBY PWR DID NOT COME ON LINE.

Narrative: ON JUN/SAT/95 I WAS WORKING THE NON RADAR POS 4 AT ZSU. AT XX23Z THE FACILITY LOST ALL PWR. THE BACKUP BATTERIES WERE NOT FUNCTIONAL CAUSING THE COMPUTER SYS, RADAR AND RADIOS TO FAIL. DURING THE NEXT 6 MINS THERE WERE 50-70 ACFT IN THE AIR UNDER NO CTL. THE RADARS WERE OUT AND ALSO THE FREQS. AT XX29 THE BACKUP SYS FINALLY CAME UP ON LINE. THIS WAS ALSO THE SAME TIME THE GENERATORS WERE STARTED MANUALLY BY MAINT PERSONNEL. AT XX50Z THE PRIMARY RADAR SYS WAS BACK ON LINE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FACILITY MGR STATED THE FACILITY HAD 2 PWR FAILURES IN JUNE AND THE EMER GENERATOR DID NOT COME UP FOR 7 MINS. THE EMER GENERATORS ARE OLD AND USE AIR PRESSURE TO GET STARTED. THIS TAKES 7 MINS. THE UPS SYS IS SUPPOSED TO COVER UNTIL THE GENERATORS COME ON LINE. IN THE FIRST INCIDENT A BATTERY FAILED AND IN THE SECOND THE MAIN TECHNICIAN SHUT THE UPS SYS OFF BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT TO OVERHEAT AND BLOW UP. MGR SAID THE FACILITY IS TO GET A NEW UPS SYS NEXT YR AND MAYBE GENERATORS.

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.