Narrative:

At XX40 on aug/xx/96 I was working potomac R04 sector at ZDC by myself. I had approximately 8 aircraft in my sector, 2 of which were separated by only 6 NM with speed assignments. At XX41 my keyboard became inoperative and I could no longer use automation for handoffs. Shortly thereafter all aircraft froze on the scope and no data was being updated, therefore I had no idea of where the position of aircraft moved to. This lasted for a min. Supervisor advised us to go to darc (backup radar). While performing checks on this darc it also went down. Every single piece of information was lost. No display! Very dangerous! 15 seconds or so later targets started to appear 1 at a time on the scope. Some popped back on in the wrong place, some never came back. Some came back under my control in other people's airspace. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter is unaware to what caused either the NAS and darc radar failures. Reporter indicated this is the first time he is aware of the darc failing. Reporter alleges that the supervisor told the controllers to use non radar procedures when the darc failed. Reporter indicated that traffic separation was already closer than non radar procedures allow. Reporter implied that when the darc routes the controllers initially repositioned the misaligned targets to the correct control position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BRIEF CENTER RADAR FAILURE. WHEN RADAR RTES SOME TARGETS APPEARED IN WRONG PLACES SECTORS.

Narrative: AT XX40 ON AUG/XX/96 I WAS WORKING POTOMAC R04 SECTOR AT ZDC BY MYSELF. I HAD APPROX 8 ACFT IN MY SECTOR, 2 OF WHICH WERE SEPARATED BY ONLY 6 NM WITH SPD ASSIGNMENTS. AT XX41 MY KEYBOARD BECAME INOP AND I COULD NO LONGER USE AUTOMATION FOR HDOFS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER ALL ACFT FROZE ON THE SCOPE AND NO DATA WAS BEING UPDATED, THEREFORE I HAD NO IDEA OF WHERE THE POS OF ACFT MOVED TO. THIS LASTED FOR A MIN. SUPVR ADVISED US TO GO TO DARC (BACKUP RADAR). WHILE PERFORMING CHKS ON THIS DARC IT ALSO WENT DOWN. EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF INFO WAS LOST. NO DISPLAY! VERY DANGEROUS! 15 SECONDS OR SO LATER TARGETS STARTED TO APPEAR 1 AT A TIME ON THE SCOPE. SOME POPPED BACK ON IN THE WRONG PLACE, SOME NEVER CAME BACK. SOME CAME BACK UNDER MY CTL IN OTHER PEOPLE'S AIRSPACE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR IS UNAWARE TO WHAT CAUSED EITHER THE NAS AND DARC RADAR FAILURES. RPTR INDICATED THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE IS AWARE OF THE DARC FAILING. RPTR ALLEGES THAT THE SUPVR TOLD THE CTLRS TO USE NON RADAR PROCS WHEN THE DARC FAILED. RPTR INDICATED THAT TFC SEPARATION WAS ALREADY CLOSER THAN NON RADAR PROCS ALLOW. RPTR IMPLIED THAT WHEN THE DARC ROUTES THE CTLRS INITIALLY REPOSITIONED THE MISALIGNED TARGETS TO THE CORRECT CTL POS.

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.