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Controller at ZMA experienced a radar outage for approximately 2 hours. Flow control was instituted by supervisor in a timely manner and no incidents occurred. Reporter contends that a backup radar should be installed for this sector in the bahamas.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 349861 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199610 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zma |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Dusk |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 9 controller radar : 19 |
| ASRS Report | 349861 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Due to the recent realignment of airspace, current no- radar procedures are not adequate. 'Airspace' needs to rethink some of the departure rtes. We lost the radar with approximately 30 aircraft on frequency for over 2 hours. No backup or overlapping coverage. We need an extra radar in the bahamas. Due to controller vigilance, no separation was lost -- this time. We need another radar and backup communications site in the bahamas. Thanks to mr xx (supervisor on duty) who had the insight to stop all departures till we could get caught up. All traffic appears to converge at one point: 'zqa' both arrs and departures. My experience is this needs to change. Without a backup system we are putting too many aircraft in one spot.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CTLR AT ZMA EXPERIENCED A RADAR OUTAGE FOR APPROX 2 HRS. FLOW CTL WAS INSTITUTED BY SUPVR IN A TIMELY MANNER AND NO INCIDENTS OCCURRED. RPTR CONTENDS THAT A BACKUP RADAR SHOULD BE INSTALLED FOR THIS SECTOR IN THE BAHAMAS.
Narrative: DUE TO THE RECENT REALIGNMENT OF AIRSPACE, CURRENT NO- RADAR PROCS ARE NOT ADEQUATE. 'AIRSPACE' NEEDS TO RETHINK SOME OF THE DEP RTES. WE LOST THE RADAR WITH APPROX 30 ACFT ON FREQ FOR OVER 2 HRS. NO BACKUP OR OVERLAPPING COVERAGE. WE NEED AN EXTRA RADAR IN THE BAHAMAS. DUE TO CTLR VIGILANCE, NO SEPARATION WAS LOST -- THIS TIME. WE NEED ANOTHER RADAR AND BACKUP COMS SITE IN THE BAHAMAS. THANKS TO MR XX (SUPVR ON DUTY) WHO HAD THE INSIGHT TO STOP ALL DEPS TILL WE COULD GET CAUGHT UP. ALL TFC APPEARS TO CONVERGE AT ONE POINT: 'ZQA' BOTH ARRS AND DEPS. MY EXPERIENCE IS THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. WITHOUT A BACKUP SYS WE ARE PUTTING TOO MANY ACFT IN ONE SPOT.
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.