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Reported failures of the tdwr and the LLWAS on two succeeding days when needed for severe WX activity.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 345300 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199608 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : atl |
| State Reference | GA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 20 |
| ASRS Report | 345300 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Loss of use of equipment (critical equipment) tdwr and associated LLWAS. During the past 2 days (aug/thu/96 and aug/fri/96) severe thunderstorms developed in the atlanta area. Wind shifts, microbursts, windshears, were prevalent during the course of the storms. Frequent lightning, and heavy rains were also associated with the storms. The tdwr and associated LLWAS equipment failed several times during the storms during critical stages of flight thus denying flcs of much needed, timely WX information. When asked by the flcs of windshear information, we were unable to provide that information due to the equipment failure. The equipment fails most during bad WX. Just when we need it the most. The information provided by this equipment is critical to flight safety. A lot of money was invested in this equipment but never seems to work 'as advertised.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTED FAILURES OF THE TDWR AND THE LLWAS ON TWO SUCCEEDING DAYS WHEN NEEDED FOR SEVERE WX ACTIVITY.
Narrative: LOSS OF USE OF EQUIP (CRITICAL EQUIP) TDWR AND ASSOCIATED LLWAS. DURING THE PAST 2 DAYS (AUG/THU/96 AND AUG/FRI/96) SEVERE TSTMS DEVELOPED IN THE ATLANTA AREA. WIND SHIFTS, MICROBURSTS, WINDSHEARS, WERE PREVALENT DURING THE COURSE OF THE STORMS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING, AND HVY RAINS WERE ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORMS. THE TDWR AND ASSOCIATED LLWAS EQUIP FAILED SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE STORMS DURING CRITICAL STAGES OF FLT THUS DENYING FLCS OF MUCH NEEDED, TIMELY WX INFO. WHEN ASKED BY THE FLCS OF WINDSHEAR INFO, WE WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INFO DUE TO THE EQUIP FAILURE. THE EQUIP FAILS MOST DURING BAD WX. JUST WHEN WE NEED IT THE MOST. THE INFO PROVIDED BY THIS EQUIP IS CRITICAL TO FLT SAFETY. A LOT OF MONEY WAS INVESTED IN THIS EQUIP BUT NEVER SEEMS TO WORK 'AS ADVERTISED.'
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.