Reporter cleared a VFR merlin for takeoff during a thunderstorm with a SF34 IFR inbound. Reporter was aware that the radar was released to maintenance for shutdown and that communication was OTS to approach control.

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Attributes
ACN	342052
Time
Date	199607
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ggg
State Reference	TX
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ggg tower : ggg
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	SF 340A
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	342052
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Radar (primary and secondary) was released to airways facilities from the supervisor during a thunderstorm to prevent a card from burning out. A thunderstorm was overhead when I cleared a merlin VFR for takeoff. He informed me he would be turning eastbound to maintain VFR and to stay out of severe WX. Approach control had a saab fairchild inbound 5 mi east of the airport. All communications were down between the tower and TRACON. At this min radar was released. I lost radar on the inbound SF34 unable to talk to him (because he wasn't switched yet) unable to talk to the TRACON. Visibility was decreasing rapidly as heavy rain started. What next at GGG? Are we going to release radar even before the interest of safety? Radar outage until XA12Z.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLRED A VFR MERLIN FOR TKOF DURING A TSTM WITH A SF34 IFR INBOUND. RPTR WAS AWARE THAT THE RADAR WAS RELEASED TO MAINT FOR SHUTDOWN AND THAT COM WAS OTS TO APCH CTL.

Narrative: RADAR (PRIMARY AND SECONDARY) WAS RELEASED TO AIRWAYS FACILITIES FROM THE SUPVR DURING A TSTM TO PREVENT A CARD FROM BURNING OUT. A TSTM WAS OVERHEAD WHEN I CLRED A MERLIN VFR FOR TKOF. HE INFORMED ME HE WOULD BE TURNING EBOUND TO MAINTAIN VFR AND TO STAY OUT OF SEVERE WX. APCH CTL HAD A SAAB FAIRCHILD INBOUND 5 MI E OF THE ARPT. ALL COMS WERE DOWN BTWN THE TWR AND TRACON. AT THIS MIN RADAR WAS RELEASED. I LOST RADAR ON THE INBOUND SF34 UNABLE TO TALK TO HIM (BECAUSE HE WASN'T SWITCHED YET) UNABLE TO TALK TO THE TRACON. VISIBILITY WAS DECREASING RAPIDLY AS HVY RAIN STARTED. WHAT NEXT AT GGG? ARE WE GOING TO RELEASE RADAR EVEN BEFORE THE INTEREST OF SAFETY? RADAR OUTAGE UNTIL XA12Z.

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.