Reporter implies distrs of strip marking affecting TA's and control instructions in an automated env...

Attributes
ACN	334863
Time
Date	199605
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ocn
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san
Make Model Name	Gulfstream IV
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	334863
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While working radar associate position for the palomar sector I observed a collision alert from the ARTS automation for a G4 versus an unidented 1200 beacon at 4500 ft MSL near ocn VORTAC. The G4 was IFR descending from 5000 ft to 4000 ft. Traffic was issued by the radar controller but much later than normal due to distraction of other duties mandated by management. Had the pilot not acquired visual contact on the unidented aircraft, any control instructions would have been too late and probably futile. The requirement to handwrite and maintain flight progress strips to duplicate ARTS functions is time consuming, distracting and potentially hazardous. The attention of the radar team should be focused on the radar movement of aircraft, not distracted by maintaining an archaic and tedious tool from the days before automation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR IMPLIES DISTRS OF STRIP MARKING AFFECTING TA'S AND CTL INSTRUCTIONS IN AN AUTOMATED ENVIRONMENT.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING RADAR ASSOCIATE POS FOR THE PALOMAR SECTOR I OBSERVED A COLLISION ALERT FROM THE ARTS AUTOMATION FOR A G4 VERSUS AN UNIDENTED 1200 BEACON AT 4500 FT MSL NEAR OCN VORTAC. THE G4 WAS IFR DSNDING FROM 5000 FT TO 4000 FT. TFC WAS ISSUED BY THE RADAR CTLR BUT MUCH LATER THAN NORMAL DUE TO DISTR OF OTHER DUTIES MANDATED BY MGMNT. HAD THE PLT NOT ACQUIRED VISUAL CONTACT ON THE UNIDENTED ACFT, ANY CTL INSTRUCTIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO LATE AND PROBABLY FUTILE. THE REQUIREMENT TO HANDWRITE AND MAINTAIN FLT PROGRESS STRIPS TO DUPLICATE ARTS FUNCTIONS IS TIME CONSUMING, DISTRACTING AND POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS. THE ATTN OF THE RADAR TEAM SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE RADAR MOVEMENT OF ACFT, NOT DISTRACTED BY MAINTAINING AN ARCHAIC AND TEDIOUS TOOL FROM THE DAYS BEFORE AUTOMATION.

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.

Reporter implies distrs of strip marking affecting TA's and control instructions in an automated environment.