Narrative:

On mar/xx/96 mia tower had a total power failure in both the radar room and tower cabin attendant which lasted about 3 mins. When the power came back on we were still without most of our icss equipment, ARTS, fdio and pre departure clearance. It took another 4-10 mins before we got back that equipment and then all the ARTS had to be entered manually until they were able to restore the database. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that steps have been implemented to prevent this type of error from occurring again. Commercial power was not a problem it was just locked out from the building due to af maintenance. The ups battery system will be on line whenever the generator is being used. Supplemental information from acn 329741: at XX40 uct mia approach had a complete power failure that included commercial, generator, and battery backup power. The power failure resulted in the loss of the ASR9 radar and primary radio communication. Controllers were unable to communicate with approximately 30 airborne aircraft or ground based aircraft for several mins. The cause of the power failure was a generator, with a 500 gal fuel tank and an additional external tank, had run out of fuel. The external fuel tank is supposed to refill the internal tank but failed due to an improperly connected fuel pump. Af personnel should be required to check the fuel status of the internal tank on a daily basis and prior to start up. The system that switches from one power supply to another should function in a more timely manner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIA TRACON TWR EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE PWR FAILURE AFFECTING RADAR AND COM EQUIP. COM WAS OUT FOR APPROX 3 MINS. THE CAUSE OF THE OUTAGE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A FAULTY FUEL PUMP CONNECTION TO THE BACKUP GENERATOR AND AF TOOK THE UPS SYS OFF LINE WITHOUT AIR TFC NOTIFICATION.

Narrative: ON MAR/XX/96 MIA TWR HAD A TOTAL PWR FAILURE IN BOTH THE RADAR ROOM AND TWR CAB WHICH LASTED ABOUT 3 MINS. WHEN THE PWR CAME BACK ON WE WERE STILL WITHOUT MOST OF OUR ICSS EQUIP, ARTS, FDIO AND PDC. IT TOOK ANOTHER 4-10 MINS BEFORE WE GOT BACK THAT EQUIP AND THEN ALL THE ARTS HAD TO BE ENTERED MANUALLY UNTIL THEY WERE ABLE TO RESTORE THE DATABASE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT STEPS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF ERROR FROM OCCURRING AGAIN. COMMERCIAL PWR WAS NOT A PROB IT WAS JUST LOCKED OUT FROM THE BUILDING DUE TO AF MAINT. THE UPS BATTERY SYS WILL BE ON LINE WHENEVER THE GENERATOR IS BEING USED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 329741: AT XX40 UCT MIA APCH HAD A COMPLETE PWR FAILURE THAT INCLUDED COMMERCIAL, GENERATOR, AND BATTERY BACKUP PWR. THE PWR FAILURE RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF THE ASR9 RADAR AND PRIMARY RADIO COM. CTLRS WERE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH APPROX 30 AIRBORNE ACFT OR GND BASED ACFT FOR SEVERAL MINS. THE CAUSE OF THE PWR FAILURE WAS A GENERATOR, WITH A 500 GAL FUEL TANK AND AN ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL TANK, HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL. THE EXTERNAL FUEL TANK IS SUPPOSED TO REFILL THE INTERNAL TANK BUT FAILED DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY CONNECTED FUEL PUMP. AF PERSONNEL SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO CHK THE FUEL STATUS OF THE INTERNAL TANK ON A DAILY BASIS AND PRIOR TO START UP. THE SYS THAT SWITCHES FROM ONE PWR SUPPLY TO ANOTHER SHOULD FUNCTION IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER.

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.