Reporter alleges tower en route traffic is stopped by military facility due to an equipment outage.

Attributes
ACN	340338
Time
Date	199607
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : wri
State Reference	NJ
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : wri
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 13
ASRS Report	340338
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

On jul/thu/96, during a busy holiday traffic period military approach control (wri) stopped taking tower en route traffic except at 5000 ft. This caused numerous aircraft to hold, reduce their airspeed even though they were still 300 mi from their destinations, and increased chances for conflicts to adjacent facilities. This type of situation occurs daily at wri which is located right in the middle of philadelphia, new york and atlantic city. In the past month they have lost their radar, ARTS, fdio computer, etc, which always causes aircraft unnecessary delays. It is in a critical spot for tower en route traffic and due to their incompetence traffic in the northeast suffers. The FAA needs to take control of wri airspace before there is a major catastrophe and to improve traffic flow and safety in the area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ALLEGES TWR ENRTE TFC IS STOPPED BY MIL FACILITY DUE TO AN EQUIP OUTAGE.

Narrative: ON JUL/THU/96, DURING A BUSY HOLIDAY TFC PERIOD MIL APCH CTL (WRI) STOPPED TAKING TWR ENRTE TFC EXCEPT AT 5000 FT. THIS CAUSED NUMEROUS ACFT TO HOLD, REDUCE THEIR AIRSPD EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE STILL 300 MI FROM THEIR DESTS, AND INCREASED CHANCES FOR CONFLICTS TO ADJACENT FACILITIES. THIS TYPE OF SIT OCCURS DAILY AT WRI WHICH IS LOCATED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK AND ATLANTIC CITY. IN THE PAST MONTH THEY HAVE LOST THEIR RADAR, ARTS, FDIO COMPUTER, ETC, WHICH ALWAYS CAUSES ACFT UNNECESSARY DELAYS. IT IS IN A CRITICAL SPOT FOR TWR ENRTE TFC AND DUE TO THEIR INCOMPETENCE TFC IN THE NE SUFFERS. THE FAA NEEDS TO TAKE CTL OF WRI AIRSPACE BEFORE THERE IS A MAJOR CATASTROPHE AND TO IMPROVE TFC FLOW AND SAFETY IN THE AREA.

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.