Narrative:

The aircraft departed hsv but did not ARTS tag even though he was displaying the correct beacon code assigned by the NAS computer. The aircraft's beacon code assignment was only displayed for 1 to 3 sweeps of the radar. The ARTS program that was operating had a fault which what I understand was if no mode C was displayed the aircraft would not automatic-acquire. Also as per local order/procedure the local controller did not advise the radar controller that the aircraft did not tag even though this is required by local control within 3 mi of the airport. Then after a few sweeps of the radar the aircraft was tracked only by a primary target which was terminated due to false targets and other primary targets in the vicinity of cullman airport. Due to this the only other way to keep up with the aircraft was with flight progress strips. Other factors are ZME advised they tracked the aircraft but hsv's ASR-9 did not. Hsv does not have primary radar tracking capabilities. There was and may be still problems with the ARTS program at hsv, the program being used would not track aircraft without operating mode C capabilities and I do not know if this has been corrected or not. I wonder why controllers are not briefed or advised of these problems so we would be more aware. Also no assistance was provided by the radar data of the radar team whom could have helped in keeping track of the aircraft. Some corrective actions are: change local procedures to insure that aircraft without xponders are departed in the computer within 10 mi of the airport. Brief and advise controllers when there are problems in automation. If a problem exist in a ARTS program do not let it go to the field sites to be installed knowing it may fail until it has been corrected. Insure all facilities have primary tracking capabilities. Have controllers be more aware when no transponder/primary aircraft are in their area of responsibility and to reclr these aircraft via non radar rtes and give position reports over VOR/VORTAC and other fixes. Also focus on solving the problems of radar sites which report false radar targets, split beacon codes, ring around on radar scopes, ARTS program problems, aircraft not automatic acquiring, and primary radar tracking. Try not to put controllers and aircraft in compromising sits because of faulty equipment and procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR AT HSV TRACON CONTENDS THERE IS A TRACKING PROB WITH THE ARTS PROGRAM OR THE ASR-9 RADAR.

Narrative: THE ACFT DEPARTED HSV BUT DID NOT ARTS TAG EVEN THOUGH HE WAS DISPLAYING THE CORRECT BEACON CODE ASSIGNED BY THE NAS COMPUTER. THE ACFT'S BEACON CODE ASSIGNMENT WAS ONLY DISPLAYED FOR 1 TO 3 SWEEPS OF THE RADAR. THE ARTS PROGRAM THAT WAS OPERATING HAD A FAULT WHICH WHAT I UNDERSTAND WAS IF NO MODE C WAS DISPLAYED THE ACFT WOULD NOT AUTO-ACQUIRE. ALSO AS PER LCL ORDER/PROC THE LCL CTLR DID NOT ADVISE THE RADAR CTLR THAT THE ACFT DID NOT TAG EVEN THOUGH THIS IS REQUIRED BY LCL CTL WITHIN 3 MI OF THE ARPT. THEN AFTER A FEW SWEEPS OF THE RADAR THE ACFT WAS TRACKED ONLY BY A PRIMARY TARGET WHICH WAS TERMINATED DUE TO FALSE TARGETS AND OTHER PRIMARY TARGETS IN THE VICINITY OF CULLMAN ARPT. DUE TO THIS THE ONLY OTHER WAY TO KEEP UP WITH THE ACFT WAS WITH FLT PROGRESS STRIPS. OTHER FACTORS ARE ZME ADVISED THEY TRACKED THE ACFT BUT HSV'S ASR-9 DID NOT. HSV DOES NOT HAVE PRIMARY RADAR TRACKING CAPABILITIES. THERE WAS AND MAY BE STILL PROBS WITH THE ARTS PROGRAM AT HSV, THE PROGRAM BEING USED WOULD NOT TRACK ACFT WITHOUT OPERATING MODE C CAPABILITIES AND I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS HAS BEEN CORRECTED OR NOT. I WONDER WHY CTLRS ARE NOT BRIEFED OR ADVISED OF THESE PROBS SO WE WOULD BE MORE AWARE. ALSO NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED BY THE RADAR DATA OF THE RADAR TEAM WHOM COULD HAVE HELPED IN KEEPING TRACK OF THE ACFT. SOME CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE: CHANGE LCL PROCS TO INSURE THAT ACFT WITHOUT XPONDERS ARE DEPARTED IN THE COMPUTER WITHIN 10 MI OF THE ARPT. BRIEF AND ADVISE CTLRS WHEN THERE ARE PROBS IN AUTOMATION. IF A PROB EXIST IN A ARTS PROGRAM DO NOT LET IT GO TO THE FIELD SITES TO BE INSTALLED KNOWING IT MAY FAIL UNTIL IT HAS BEEN CORRECTED. INSURE ALL FACILITIES HAVE PRIMARY TRACKING CAPABILITIES. HAVE CTLRS BE MORE AWARE WHEN NO XPONDER/PRIMARY ACFT ARE IN THEIR AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY AND TO RECLR THESE ACFT VIA NON RADAR RTES AND GIVE POS RPTS OVER VOR/VORTAC AND OTHER FIXES. ALSO FOCUS ON SOLVING THE PROBS OF RADAR SITES WHICH RPT FALSE RADAR TARGETS, SPLIT BEACON CODES, RING AROUND ON RADAR SCOPES, ARTS PROGRAM PROBS, ACFT NOT AUTO ACQUIRING, AND PRIMARY RADAR TRACKING. TRY NOT TO PUT CTLRS AND ACFT IN COMPROMISING SITS BECAUSE OF FAULTY EQUIP AND PROCS.

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.