Narrative:

Aircraft was flying through chs airspace southwest through northeast. At some time aircraft's ARTS data tag dropped off the aircraft and it went into the coast tab list. I relieved the controller who had accepted the handoff. I noticed the aircraft in the coast tab list and asked the radar data controller if he knew the status of aircraft. He stated he believed the aircraft had flown through the airspace earlier and was no longer active. The aircraft was discovered in myr control's airspace. The problem: aircraft ARTS data tags are constantly dropping into the coast list and not reacquiring when they transition chs airspace. The settings of the chs coast list are such that aircraft remain in the coast status for extended periods of time -- hours -- until dropped. Controllers do not have an accurate display of the status of aircraft in the coast list. Also, most all aircraft xferred between chs and myr go into the CST or nat status. This problem was looked into prior but no change has resulted. Why didn't myr see the aircraft coming? When it was discovered, myr checked the status and asked chs to 'dm' the aircraft. The aircraft was active. Why would myr make such a request? A ucr was filed against the ARTS at chs which stated that aircraft departing chs would not be in the departure tab list despite the fact that all requirements for that to occur were met. This occurred during the time the aircraft was flying through chs airspace, taking away time that could have been spent locating the aircraft prior to the system deviation occurring. This situation has not improved. If these problems continue, a serious accident could occur. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the problem with the ASR9 started about 6 months after it was installed. The problem, according to the reporter, is not isolated to one particular area although it is primarily noted in the nne area. Reporter indicated that all concerned were working on the problem but were unaware of any flight checks on the radar.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPT OF ARTS TAG DROPPING ON AN ACFT TRAVERSING CHS INTO MYR AIRSPACE. RPTR ALLEGES THIS IS A CONSTANT PROB.

Narrative: ACFT WAS FLYING THROUGH CHS AIRSPACE SW THROUGH NE. AT SOME TIME ACFT'S ARTS DATA TAG DROPPED OFF THE ACFT AND IT WENT INTO THE COAST TAB LIST. I RELIEVED THE CTLR WHO HAD ACCEPTED THE HDOF. I NOTICED THE ACFT IN THE COAST TAB LIST AND ASKED THE RADAR DATA CTLR IF HE KNEW THE STATUS OF ACFT. HE STATED HE BELIEVED THE ACFT HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE AIRSPACE EARLIER AND WAS NO LONGER ACTIVE. THE ACFT WAS DISCOVERED IN MYR CTL'S AIRSPACE. THE PROB: ACFT ARTS DATA TAGS ARE CONSTANTLY DROPPING INTO THE COAST LIST AND NOT REACQUIRING WHEN THEY TRANSITION CHS AIRSPACE. THE SETTINGS OF THE CHS COAST LIST ARE SUCH THAT ACFT REMAIN IN THE COAST STATUS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME -- HRS -- UNTIL DROPPED. CTLRS DO NOT HAVE AN ACCURATE DISPLAY OF THE STATUS OF ACFT IN THE COAST LIST. ALSO, MOST ALL ACFT XFERRED BTWN CHS AND MYR GO INTO THE CST OR NAT STATUS. THIS PROB WAS LOOKED INTO PRIOR BUT NO CHANGE HAS RESULTED. WHY DIDN'T MYR SEE THE ACFT COMING? WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED, MYR CHKED THE STATUS AND ASKED CHS TO 'DM' THE ACFT. THE ACFT WAS ACTIVE. WHY WOULD MYR MAKE SUCH A REQUEST? A UCR WAS FILED AGAINST THE ARTS AT CHS WHICH STATED THAT ACFT DEPARTING CHS WOULD NOT BE IN THE DEP TAB LIST DESPITE THE FACT THAT ALL REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT TO OCCUR WERE MET. THIS OCCURRED DURING THE TIME THE ACFT WAS FLYING THROUGH CHS AIRSPACE, TAKING AWAY TIME THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SPENT LOCATING THE ACFT PRIOR TO THE SYS DEV OCCURRING. THIS SIT HAS NOT IMPROVED. IF THESE PROBS CONTINUE, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE PROB WITH THE ASR9 STARTED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER IT WAS INSTALLED. THE PROB, ACCORDING TO THE RPTR, IS NOT ISOLATED TO ONE PARTICULAR AREA ALTHOUGH IT IS PRIMARILY NOTED IN THE NNE AREA. RPTR INDICATED THAT ALL CONCERNED WERE WORKING ON THE PROB BUT WERE UNAWARE OF ANY FLT CHKS ON THE RADAR.

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.