Controller reports 6 ARTS 3E program failures in a 90 min period. The last failure was caused by a t...

Attributes
ACN	351061
Time
Date	199610
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 24
ASRS Report	351061
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Between XX00 and XY30 local, the ARTS 3E failed 6 times. Data was not froze on the indicators. The alarm did sound just prior to the system crashing each time. When the system returned video maps on some indicators had to be manually reloaded. Adding to the tension and stress of these failures is the fact we are 1 week into a massive airspace procedure frequency and new runway change. (Dfw metroplex plan). The last failure was self induced to try to lock out a processor. After that was done the technician advised that it would probably continue to fail. My shift ended at XC30 so I don't know if any further failures occurred. This added to aircraft delays. The ARTS 3E has failed to live up to air traffic expectations. The failure has done nothing but add to the lack of confidence on the part of the controllers in equipment that we depend on in this high density level 5 TRACON. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was unaware of what caused the problem but knew that it was hardware related at 1 of the 4 radar sites. Reporter stated the ARTS 3E program has been in use since august.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR RPTS 6 ARTS 3E PROGRAM FAILURES IN A 90 MIN PERIOD. THE LAST FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A TECHNICIAN ATTEMPTING TO LOCK OUT A PROCESSOR. THE ARTS DATA BLOCKS DID NOT FREEZE ON THE DISPLAYS.

Narrative: BTWN XX00 AND XY30 LCL, THE ARTS 3E FAILED 6 TIMES. DATA WAS NOT FROZE ON THE INDICATORS. THE ALARM DID SOUND JUST PRIOR TO THE SYS CRASHING EACH TIME. WHEN THE SYS RETURNED VIDEO MAPS ON SOME INDICATORS HAD TO BE MANUALLY RELOADED. ADDING TO THE TENSION AND STRESS OF THESE FAILURES IS THE FACT WE ARE 1 WK INTO A MASSIVE AIRSPACE PROC FREQ AND NEW RWY CHANGE. (DFW METROPLEX PLAN). THE LAST FAILURE WAS SELF INDUCED TO TRY TO LOCK OUT A PROCESSOR. AFTER THAT WAS DONE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY CONTINUE TO FAIL. MY SHIFT ENDED AT XC30 SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANY FURTHER FAILURES OCCURRED. THIS ADDED TO ACFT DELAYS. THE ARTS 3E HAS FAILED TO LIVE UP TO AIR TFC EXPECTATIONS. THE FAILURE HAS DONE NOTHING BUT ADD TO THE LACK OF CONFIDENCE ON THE PART OF THE CTLRS IN EQUIP THAT WE DEPEND ON IN THIS HIGH DENSITY LEVEL 5 TRACON. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS UNAWARE OF WHAT CAUSED THE PROB BUT KNEW THAT IT WAS HARDWARE RELATED AT 1 OF THE 4 RADAR SITES. RPTR STATED THE ARTS 3E PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN USE SINCE AUGUST.

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.

Controller reports 6 ARTS 3E program failures in a 90 min period. The last failure was caused by a technician attempting to lock out a processor. The ARTS data blocks did not freeze on the displays.