Narrative:

When controller is relieving another controller at a position of operation at kennedy tower, at the moment the relieving controller plugs his or her headset into the radio jack, the position fails. This situation is most prevalent in the cold, winter months and is apparently caused by a buildup of static electricity on the relieving controller as he or she walks across the tower cabin attendant carpet. As the relieving controller plugs in, possibly brushing his/her hand against the metal radio jack box, this static electricity is discharged into the radio jack box, rendering the position inoperative. This has happened numerous times over the past year or so. Attempts at eliminating this problem, including electrical grounding of the control positions, controling the tower cabin attendant humidity, and treating the carpet, have failed. Most recently, on jan/thu/96 at XX48Z, a local control position failed in this manner, with aircraft #1 holding in position on runway 31L awaiting takeoff clearance, while aircraft #2 was approaching on final for the same runway. A second controller, at a different control position, selected the failed position's frequency and cleared the departure for takeoff, averting a potential incident or accident. This situation may cause or contribute to accidents and incidents, and the equipment exhibits chronic unsatisfactory operational characteristics. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the problems began when they moved into the new tower in oct/xx/94. During the summer of 95 the problem went away. The loss of positions from static electric discharge has resurfaced. Equipment is denro icss. Usually maintenance can reset the position in 5 mins. Ucr filed at same time as NASA report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB COM ICSS POS FAILURE.

Narrative: WHEN CTLR IS RELIEVING ANOTHER CTLR AT A POS OF OP AT KENNEDY TWR, AT THE MOMENT THE RELIEVING CTLR PLUGS HIS OR HER HEADSET INTO THE RADIO JACK, THE POS FAILS. THIS SIT IS MOST PREVALENT IN THE COLD, WINTER MONTHS AND IS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY A BUILDUP OF STATIC ELECTRICITY ON THE RELIEVING CTLR AS HE OR SHE WALKS ACROSS THE TWR CAB CARPET. AS THE RELIEVING CTLR PLUGS IN, POSSIBLY BRUSHING HIS/HER HAND AGAINST THE METAL RADIO JACK BOX, THIS STATIC ELECTRICITY IS DISCHARGED INTO THE RADIO JACK BOX, RENDERING THE POS INOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO. ATTEMPTS AT ELIMINATING THIS PROB, INCLUDING ELECTRICAL GNDING OF THE CTL POSITIONS, CTLING THE TWR CAB HUMIDITY, AND TREATING THE CARPET, HAVE FAILED. MOST RECENTLY, ON JAN/THU/96 AT XX48Z, A LCL CTL POS FAILED IN THIS MANNER, WITH ACFT #1 HOLDING IN POS ON RWY 31L AWAITING TKOF CLRNC, WHILE ACFT #2 WAS APCHING ON FINAL FOR THE SAME RWY. A SECOND CTLR, AT A DIFFERENT CTL POS, SELECTED THE FAILED POSITION'S FREQ AND CLRED THE DEP FOR TKOF, AVERTING A POTENTIAL INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT. THIS SIT MAY CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS, AND THE EQUIP EXHIBITS CHRONIC UNSATISFACTORY OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE PROBS BEGAN WHEN THEY MOVED INTO THE NEW TWR IN OCT/XX/94. DURING THE SUMMER OF 95 THE PROB WENT AWAY. THE LOSS OF POSITIONS FROM STATIC ELECTRIC DISCHARGE HAS RESURFACED. EQUIP IS DENRO ICSS. USUALLY MAINT CAN RESET THE POS IN 5 MINS. UCR FILED AT SAME TIME AS NASA RPT.

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.