ATC equipment problem communication icss failed.

Attributes
ACN	309965
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tmb
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller non radar : 11 controller supervisory : 2
ASRS Report	309965
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Total failure of communications system occurred. 1 of 2 backup VHF transceivers did not work. Phone calls to maintenance personnel revealed that no technicians were scheduled to work on weekends. Fortunately a controller discovered the problem and corrected the communication system. Failure of the FAA to schedule maintenance personnel during the times ATC services are provided is dangerous. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated the communication system at tmb is an integrated communications switching system. The failure was caused by a maintenance technician that had worked on the system, had the system on battery power, and forgot to put the system back on commercial power. When the controller restored commercial power the system worked properly. Ucr was filed that no technician was on call.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB COM ICSS FAILED.

Narrative: TOTAL FAILURE OF COMS SYS OCCURRED. 1 OF 2 BACKUP VHF TRANSCEIVERS DID NOT WORK. PHONE CALLS TO MAINT PERSONNEL REVEALED THAT NO TECHNICIANS WERE SCHEDULED TO WORK ON WEEKENDS. FORTUNATELY A CTLR DISCOVERED THE PROB AND CORRECTED THE COM SYS. FAILURE OF THE FAA TO SCHEDULE MAINT PERSONNEL DURING THE TIMES ATC SVCS ARE PROVIDED IS DANGEROUS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THE COM SYS AT TMB IS AN INTEGRATED COMS SWITCHING SYS. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A MAINT TECHNICIAN THAT HAD WORKED ON THE SYS, HAD THE SYS ON BATTERY PWR, AND FORGOT TO PUT THE SYS BACK ON COMMERCIAL PWR. WHEN THE CTLR RESTORED COMMERCIAL PWR THE SYS WORKED PROPERLY. UCR WAS FILED THAT NO TECHNICIAN WAS ON CALL.

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.