Controller reported secondary radar failed when maintenance technician accidentally cut a wire. Outa...

Attributes
ACN	335091
Time
Date	199604
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lex
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	335091
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

On tuesday afternoon the secondary radar was being worked on by a radar technician. Channel 2 was in use. Channel 1 was off for preventive maintenance. The secondary radar alarm sounded in the TRACON. The supervisor retrieved the radar unit supervisor. As they stood there looking at the alarm, the radar unit supervisor asked the satcs to activate the alarm silence. When the satcs did as he was asked the secondary radar failed. It was out for approximately 15-20 mins. After interviewing the maintenance technician who was performing the maintenance, he told me he had accidentally cut a wire. This is the fifth such incident in 3 months. Our radar unit and af manager are allowing too many little things to 'fall through the cracks' which I'm afraid will lead to disaster someday. The af manager is manipulating the monthly reports to show no problems. Af personnel put pressure on satcs and controllers in charge to not log outages or call memphis communication center with outages.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR RPTED SECONDARY RADAR FAILED WHEN MAINT TECHNICIAN ACCIDENTALLY CUT A WIRE. OUTAGE LASTED 15-20 MINS. RPTR STATES THERE IS PRESSURE ON SATCS AND CTLRS IN CHARGE BY AF SUPVR TO NOT LOG OUTAGES.

Narrative: ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON THE SECONDARY RADAR WAS BEING WORKED ON BY A RADAR TECHNICIAN. CHANNEL 2 WAS IN USE. CHANNEL 1 WAS OFF FOR PREVENTIVE MAINT. THE SECONDARY RADAR ALARM SOUNDED IN THE TRACON. THE SUPVR RETRIEVED THE RADAR UNIT SUPVR. AS THEY STOOD THERE LOOKING AT THE ALARM, THE RADAR UNIT SUPVR ASKED THE SATCS TO ACTIVATE THE ALARM SILENCE. WHEN THE SATCS DID AS HE WAS ASKED THE SECONDARY RADAR FAILED. IT WAS OUT FOR APPROX 15-20 MINS. AFTER INTERVIEWING THE MAINT TECHNICIAN WHO WAS PERFORMING THE MAINT, HE TOLD ME HE HAD ACCIDENTALLY CUT A WIRE. THIS IS THE FIFTH SUCH INCIDENT IN 3 MONTHS. OUR RADAR UNIT AND AF MGR ARE ALLOWING TOO MANY LITTLE THINGS TO 'FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS' WHICH I'M AFRAID WILL LEAD TO DISASTER SOMEDAY. THE AF MGR IS MANIPULATING THE MONTHLY RPTS TO SHOW NO PROBS. AF PERSONNEL PUT PRESSURE ON SATCS AND CTLRS IN CHARGE TO NOT LOG OUTAGES OR CALL MEMPHIS COM CTR WITH OUTAGES.

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.

Controller reported secondary radar failed when maintenance technician accidentally cut a wire. Outage lasted 15-20 mins. Reporter states there is pressure on satcs and controllers in charge by af supervisor to not log outages.