ATC equipment problem radar ASR 9 ongoing failures.

Attributes
ACN	308991
Time
Date	199506
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mia
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfb
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 15
ASRS Report	308991
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Much WX in the area, just came out of holding due to unsuitable WX at the airport for approachs, consequently, very busy. I was working approximately 15 aircraft in the terminal area at my scope. The miami ASR-9 radar failed, and it took more than 1 min and 30 seconds for the backup (fll) radar to come up at my scope. This was very scary and could have resulted in disastrous consequences. As of this date the mia radar system (ASR-9) has failed 11 times since may/95. The fll system has failed 3 times. If mia and fll failed simultaneously at a very busy air traffic time, imagine the possible consequences! No matter what anyone says, we are not prepared to go into an emergency non-radar situation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated because of the number of radar failures an FAA investigative team was brought in. Failures were happening during inclement WX. Problem was found to be the mode south. Mode south has been disabled and to the reporter's knowledge the mia ASR 9 has not failed. Reporter was told the reason fll radar would not come up was too many position were making keyboard entries and his was being rejected. Cenrap is now available by keyboard entry.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR ASR 9 ONGOING FAILURES.

Narrative: MUCH WX IN THE AREA, JUST CAME OUT OF HOLDING DUE TO UNSUITABLE WX AT THE ARPT FOR APCHS, CONSEQUENTLY, VERY BUSY. I WAS WORKING APPROX 15 ACFT IN THE TERMINAL AREA AT MY SCOPE. THE MIAMI ASR-9 RADAR FAILED, AND IT TOOK MORE THAN 1 MIN AND 30 SECONDS FOR THE BACKUP (FLL) RADAR TO COME UP AT MY SCOPE. THIS WAS VERY SCARY AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. AS OF THIS DATE THE MIA RADAR SYS (ASR-9) HAS FAILED 11 TIMES SINCE MAY/95. THE FLL SYS HAS FAILED 3 TIMES. IF MIA AND FLL FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY AT A VERY BUSY AIR TFC TIME, IMAGINE THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES! NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS, WE ARE NOT PREPARED TO GO INTO AN EMER NON-RADAR SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF RADAR FAILURES AN FAA INVESTIGATIVE TEAM WAS BROUGHT IN. FAILURES WERE HAPPENING DURING INCLEMENT WX. PROB WAS FOUND TO BE THE MODE S. MODE S HAS BEEN DISABLED AND TO THE RPTR'S KNOWLEDGE THE MIA ASR 9 HAS NOT FAILED. RPTR WAS TOLD THE REASON FLL RADAR WOULD NOT COME UP WAS TOO MANY POS WERE MAKING KEYBOARD ENTRIES AND HIS WAS BEING REJECTED. CENRAP IS NOW AVAILABLE BY KEYBOARD ENTRY.

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.