Both xponders of an air carrier MD80 not working. Controller was unable to track primary target of a...

Attributes
ACN	374150
Time
Date	199707
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar controller : developmental
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 13 flight time total : 80
ASRS Report	374150
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	instruction : instructor other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was training on dr-1 during a heavy departure push, when the MD80 checked on my frequency climbing through 1500 ft MSL. My radar indicated that his transponder and mode C were functioning correctly for approximately 2 sweeps, then his tag went into a 'coast' status and I was receiving no transponder or altitude data. The crew advised me that they had switched to the #2 transponder, but that was not working either. I modified the beacon code to a delta symbol to allow the tracking of primary target. My trainer tells me that our brand new equipment will not track primary targets! He was correct. I was completely focused on this 1 target while trying to maintain his identify through all of the other surrounding airspace that I was vectoring through, and the tag would not associate with primary target. The supervisor on duty refused to notate the equipment problem/complaint in the watch log. How can the second busiest facility in the nation have a radar system that will not track primary targets? It's unsafe, a waste of taxpayer dollars, and the people here are ignoring the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BOTH XPONDERS OF AN ACR MD80 NOT WORKING. CTLR WAS UNABLE TO TRACK PRIMARY TARGET OF ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS TRAINING ON DR-1 DURING A HVY DEP PUSH, WHEN THE MD80 CHKED ON MY FREQ CLBING THROUGH 1500 FT MSL. MY RADAR INDICATED THAT HIS XPONDER AND MODE C WERE FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY FOR APPROX 2 SWEEPS, THEN HIS TAG WENT INTO A 'COAST' STATUS AND I WAS RECEIVING NO XPONDER OR ALT DATA. THE CREW ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAD SWITCHED TO THE #2 XPONDER, BUT THAT WAS NOT WORKING EITHER. I MODIFIED THE BEACON CODE TO A DELTA SYMBOL TO ALLOW THE TRACKING OF PRIMARY TARGET. MY TRAINER TELLS ME THAT OUR BRAND NEW EQUIP WILL NOT TRACK PRIMARY TARGETS! HE WAS CORRECT. I WAS COMPLETELY FOCUSED ON THIS 1 TARGET WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN HIS IDENT THROUGH ALL OF THE OTHER SURROUNDING AIRSPACE THAT I WAS VECTORING THROUGH, AND THE TAG WOULD NOT ASSOCIATE WITH PRIMARY TARGET. THE SUPVR ON DUTY REFUSED TO NOTATE THE EQUIP PROB/COMPLAINT IN THE WATCH LOG. HOW CAN THE SECOND BUSIEST FACILITY IN THE NATION HAVE A RADAR SYS THAT WILL NOT TRACK PRIMARY TARGETS? IT'S UNSAFE, A WASTE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS, AND THE PEOPLE HERE ARE IGNORING THE PROB.

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.

Both xponders of an air carrier MD80 not working. Controller was unable to track primary target of aircraft.