ATC equipment problem radar communication power failure caused radar and frequency failure. Standby ...

Attributes
ACN	308836
Time
Date	199506
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zsu
State Reference	PR
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 3 controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 10 controller supervisory : 2
ASRS Report	308836
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
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:

On jun/wed/95, I was working the R2, 4, 6 position at san juan cerap. At XX15Z we had a failure of radar, radios and computer system. There were approximately 40-60 aircraft in the air. During the next 7 mins all aircraft were under no control. The lives of thousands of people were in danger. At XX22Z the system recovered. This is the 2ND failure of this nature in 18 days. 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 maintenance 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.

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/WED/95, I WAS WORKING THE R2, 4, 6 POS AT SAN JUAN CERAP. AT XX15Z WE HAD A FAILURE OF RADAR, RADIOS AND COMPUTER SYS. THERE WERE APPROX 40-60 ACFT IN THE AIR. DURING THE NEXT 7 MINS ALL ACFT WERE UNDER NO CTL. THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE IN DANGER. AT XX22Z THE SYS RECOVERED. THIS IS THE 2ND FAILURE OF THIS NATURE IN 18 DAYS. 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 MAINT 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.

ATC equipment problem radar communication power failure caused radar and frequency failure. Standby power did not come on line.