Power source failure to the facility. Ups failed to carry the load due to a tripped breaker. No comm...

Narrative:

On jan/xx/96, at approximately XA30, a truck hit a light pole killing all power to tul. The (ups) or back power failed to assume the load due to a tripped breaker, thereby rendering that power source unusable. With no backup power to essential system like the ARTS, fdio, icss could not be restored. Communications to airborne aircraft and inter/intrafac was not fully restored for approximately 41 mins. This situation had deadly potential, however, there was no loss of separation. This situation could easily be avoided in the future if certain actions are taken. Tulsa is very unique in that we have 2 separate power sources coming to the facility (a north feed and a south feed), however, the north feed is the only one that feeds power to the (ups). The FAA needs to correct the south feed to the ups also giving us 3 independent sources of power. Also backup radios would not work because the batteries were not charged! And there was no way to communicate with the tower. We need dependable backup radios or airways facilities needs to quit cutting its workforce so deep that they can't do any more preventive maintenance and maybe some walkie talkies to communicate with the tower during power outages.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PWR SOURCE FAILURE TO THE FACILITY. UPS FAILED TO CARRY THE LOAD DUE TO A TRIPPED BREAKER. NO COM AVAILABLE INTER INTRAFAC AS BATTERIES NOT CHARGED.

Narrative: ON JAN/XX/96, AT APPROX XA30, A TRUCK HIT A LIGHT POLE KILLING ALL PWR TO TUL. THE (UPS) OR BACK PWR FAILED TO ASSUME THE LOAD DUE TO A TRIPPED BREAKER, THEREBY RENDERING THAT PWR SOURCE UNUSABLE. WITH NO BACKUP PWR TO ESSENTIAL SYS LIKE THE ARTS, FDIO, ICSS COULD NOT BE RESTORED. COMS TO AIRBORNE ACFT AND INTER/INTRAFAC WAS NOT FULLY RESTORED FOR APPROX 41 MINS. THIS SIT HAD DEADLY POTENTIAL, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEPARATION. THIS SIT COULD EASILY BE AVOIDED IN THE FUTURE IF CERTAIN ACTIONS ARE TAKEN. TULSA IS VERY UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE 2 SEPARATE PWR SOURCES COMING TO THE FACILITY (A N FEED AND A S FEED), HOWEVER, THE N FEED IS THE ONLY ONE THAT FEEDS PWR TO THE (UPS). THE FAA NEEDS TO CORRECT THE S FEED TO THE UPS ALSO GIVING US 3 INDEPENDENT SOURCES OF PWR. ALSO BACKUP RADIOS WOULD NOT WORK BECAUSE THE BATTERIES WERE NOT CHARGED! AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE TWR. WE NEED DEPENDABLE BACKUP RADIOS OR AIRWAYS FACILITIES NEEDS TO QUIT CUTTING ITS WORKFORCE SO DEEP THAT THEY CAN'T DO ANY MORE PREVENTIVE MAINT AND MAYBE SOME WALKIE TALKIES TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE TWR DURING PWR OUTAGES.

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.

Attributes
ACN	359577
Time
Date	199701
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tul
State Reference	OK
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	359577
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Power source failure to the facility. Ups failed to carry the load due to a tripped breaker. No communication available inter intrafac as batteries not charged.