Narrative:

This problem relates to intermittent operation of qrm long range radar and ZTL sector 48 (wilkes ultra-low). Qrm is frequently down for maintenance. It is about 15 mi southeast of hky airport. When it is out, we have no radar coverage below 8000 ft within 30 mi of bzm. This affects hky, vkf, svh, mrn, all associated airways, MEA 6000-7000 ft. Maintenance seems to always be done during our busiest periods. Sometimes when WX is down, outages are rescheduled. When WX is VFR, significant traffic uses hky area for training as it is the only uncontrolled ILS in western nc. The incident at bzm involved cga X (BA10) descending into hky from northeast. At about 8000 ft radar contact was lost. Cga X was advised and told I could not provide TA's. He then called advising a climb to respond to a TCASII RA. He advised a light aircraft passed about 200 ft beneath him. Aircraft was probably holding at bzm at 4000 ft. This sector has negligible traffic between XA00 local and XG00 local. These are the times to take the radar, not when you have 3 bays of strips.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CGA ACFT IN DSCNT RPTED COMING IN CLOSE PROX TO AN UNIDENTED LIGHT ACFT. THE CTLR CLAIMED THAT TFC COULD NOT BE ISSUED DUE TO RADAR OUTAGE FOR ROUTINE MAINT.

Narrative: THIS PROB RELATES TO INTERMITTENT OP OF QRM LONG RANGE RADAR AND ZTL SECTOR 48 (WILKES ULTRA-LOW). QRM IS FREQUENTLY DOWN FOR MAINT. IT IS ABOUT 15 MI SE OF HKY ARPT. WHEN IT IS OUT, WE HAVE NO RADAR COVERAGE BELOW 8000 FT WITHIN 30 MI OF BZM. THIS AFFECTS HKY, VKF, SVH, MRN, ALL ASSOCIATED AIRWAYS, MEA 6000-7000 FT. MAINT SEEMS TO ALWAYS BE DONE DURING OUR BUSIEST PERIODS. SOMETIMES WHEN WX IS DOWN, OUTAGES ARE RESCHEDULED. WHEN WX IS VFR, SIGNIFICANT TFC USES HKY AREA FOR TRAINING AS IT IS THE ONLY UNCTLED ILS IN WESTERN NC. THE INCIDENT AT BZM INVOLVED CGA X (BA10) DSNDING INTO HKY FROM NE. AT ABOUT 8000 FT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. CGA X WAS ADVISED AND TOLD I COULD NOT PROVIDE TA'S. HE THEN CALLED ADVISING A CLB TO RESPOND TO A TCASII RA. HE ADVISED A LIGHT ACFT PASSED ABOUT 200 FT BENEATH HIM. ACFT WAS PROBABLY HOLDING AT BZM AT 4000 FT. THIS SECTOR HAS NEGLIGIBLE TFC BTWN XA00 LCL AND XG00 LCL. THESE ARE THE TIMES TO TAKE THE RADAR, NOT WHEN YOU HAVE 3 BAYS OF STRIPS.

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.