Reported static electricity discharge to icss equipment caused local controller frequency position t...

Attributes
ACN	371426
Time
Date	199706
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jfk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Concorde
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 41
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 3 controller non radar : 13 controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	371426
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	371427
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Static electricity was discharged into the icss equipment of the control position I was working, causing the position to fail. I lost all radio communications with aircraft and all interphone communication due to this failure. This has been a continuous problem for several yrs and may cause or contribute to accidents and incidents, if not corrected. An unsatisfactory condition report was filed with the FAA on jan/xa/96 and there is no resolution. At the time of occurrence one aircraft was to be taxied into position and hold (concorde), jetstream on final of intersecting runway told to hold short, acknowledgement not received. Additionally, necessary coordination with new york approach (N90, jfk sector) was being accomplished when position failed leaving me 'hot' in the other controller's ear with no way to hang up causing me to distract him unnecessarily until the problem was resolved. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the problem has not been resolved and indicated that he is unaware of any proposed remedy to fix the problem. Reporter stated a discharge can occur when passing strips from one position to another causing both position to go OTS. Reporter stated he can feel the buildup of static electricity and will have to key the microphone to see if the position/frequency is still working.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTED STATIC ELECTRICITY DISCHARGE TO ICSS EQUIP CAUSED LCL CTLR FREQ POS TO FAIL. RPTR STATES THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS PROB FOR SEVERAL YRS. RPTR LOST COM AT TIME OF INTERSECTING RWY OPS WITH A BA41 LNDG AND CONCORDE IN POS.

Narrative: STATIC ELECTRICITY WAS DISCHARGED INTO THE ICSS EQUIP OF THE CTL POS I WAS WORKING, CAUSING THE POS TO FAIL. I LOST ALL RADIO COMS WITH ACFT AND ALL INTERPHONE COM DUE TO THIS FAILURE. THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS PROB FOR SEVERAL YRS AND MAY CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS, IF NOT CORRECTED. AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION RPT WAS FILED WITH THE FAA ON JAN/XA/96 AND THERE IS NO RESOLUTION. AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE ONE ACFT WAS TO BE TAXIED INTO POS AND HOLD (CONCORDE), JETSTREAM ON FINAL OF INTERSECTING RWY TOLD TO HOLD SHORT, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT NOT RECEIVED. ADDITIONALLY, NECESSARY COORD WITH NEW YORK APCH (N90, JFK SECTOR) WAS BEING ACCOMPLISHED WHEN POS FAILED LEAVING ME 'HOT' IN THE OTHER CTLR'S EAR WITH NO WAY TO HANG UP CAUSING ME TO DISTRACT HIM UNNECESSARILY UNTIL THE PROB WAS RESOLVED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE PROB HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AND INDICATED THAT HE IS UNAWARE OF ANY PROPOSED REMEDY TO FIX THE PROB. RPTR STATED A DISCHARGE CAN OCCUR WHEN PASSING STRIPS FROM ONE POS TO ANOTHER CAUSING BOTH POS TO GO OTS. RPTR STATED HE CAN FEEL THE BUILDUP OF STATIC ELECTRICITY AND WILL HAVE TO KEY THE MIKE TO SEE IF THE POS/FREQ IS STILL WORKING.

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.

Reported static electricity discharge to icss equipment caused local controller frequency position to fail. Reporter states this has been a continuous problem for several yrs. Reporter lost communication at time of intersecting runway operations with a BA41 landing and concorde in position.