ATC equipment problem radar computer failed.

Attributes
ACN	321553
Time
Date	199511
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : buf
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	321553
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The problem that developed was the computer inputs started to take longer to be displayed on my radar scope. Then NAS failed totally. When transition to darc, lost numerous tracks and information on scope as well as map shifting. This created undue stress and burden on myself to re-identify all the aircraft that I was working at the time. The above situation occurred numerous times during the time noted. After second time it occurred, traffic was getting complex and moderate level of aircraft on frequency when it reoccurred. Time became a factor in resetting the scope up and re-identing aircraft and confirming their mode C. All data blocks needed to be updated numerous times. The only corrective action I could say would be to update our outdated computers before an accident occurs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR COMPUTER FAILED.

Narrative: THE PROB THAT DEVELOPED WAS THE COMPUTER INPUTS STARTED TO TAKE LONGER TO BE DISPLAYED ON MY RADAR SCOPE. THEN NAS FAILED TOTALLY. WHEN TRANSITION TO DARC, LOST NUMEROUS TRACKS AND INFO ON SCOPE AS WELL AS MAP SHIFTING. THIS CREATED UNDUE STRESS AND BURDEN ON MYSELF TO RE-IDENT ALL THE ACFT THAT I WAS WORKING AT THE TIME. THE ABOVE SIT OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES DURING THE TIME NOTED. AFTER SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED, TFC WAS GETTING COMPLEX AND MODERATE LEVEL OF ACFT ON FREQ WHEN IT REOCCURRED. TIME BECAME A FACTOR IN RESETTING THE SCOPE UP AND RE-IDENTING ACFT AND CONFIRMING THEIR MODE C. ALL DATA BLOCKS NEEDED TO BE UPDATED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE ONLY CORRECTIVE ACTION I COULD SAY WOULD BE TO UPDATE OUR OUTDATED COMPUTERS BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS.

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.