Controller at ZFW observed several anomalies occur while controling 2 particular air carrier aircraf...

Attributes
ACN	401572
Time
Date	199805
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mlc
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zfw
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	401572
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

The oklahoma city radar site is inadequate and creates safety problems. Unreliable target hits, misleading speed changes, target jumps, and split beacons are commonplace. On may/xx/98 at YY50 I was working the mlc high sector radar position. I observed air carrier #1 and air carrier #2 both change speeds up to 80 KTS on 5 consecutive radar hits beginning at sort box #1. Split beacons were observed at sort boxes #2 and #3. This is an everyday occurrence. I filed an unsafe condition report (the second I've filed on this problem) on may/xx/98. The okc radar is unsafe. The last ucr I filed (about 2 yrs ago) supposedly addressed the problem but little change occurred. This problem also affects the decode high sector at ZFW. Either the okc radar must be fixed or a new site built. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: analyst asked reporter what response was received on the first ucr filed 2 yrs earlier regarding the okc radar site. Reporter stated that maintenance personnel went to the site and supposedly fixed the problem. Reporter said no change was noticed and that the problems with the equipment still exist. Reporter has filed a second ucr citing the same discrepancies. Reporter also commented that other controllers have said the problems have existed for 10-15 yrs. Reporter claims the area between the oklahoma and texarkana sites is where most of the problems frequently occur. These 2 sites are approximately 400 mi apart according to the reporter. This analyst asked if the fringe area between the 2 site locations might be an area of poor radar coverage and would another site help solve the problem. The reporter said it would definitely improve the coverage. This analyst suggested the reporter provide his supervisor information that could be used to find a solution to improve the radar. The reporter said he would talk to his union representative and try to get something started.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR AT ZFW OBSERVED SEVERAL ANOMALIES OCCUR WHILE CTLING 2 PARTICULAR ACR ACFT. CTLR BELIEVES A CERTAIN RADAR SITE IS THE MAIN PROB AND HAS FILED 2 UCR'S IDENTING THE EQUIP AS UNSAFE.

Narrative: THE OKLAHOMA CITY RADAR SITE IS INADEQUATE AND CREATES SAFETY PROBS. UNRELIABLE TARGET HITS, MISLEADING SPD CHANGES, TARGET JUMPS, AND SPLIT BEACONS ARE COMMONPLACE. ON MAY/XX/98 AT YY50 I WAS WORKING THE MLC HIGH SECTOR RADAR POS. I OBSERVED ACR #1 AND ACR #2 BOTH CHANGE SPDS UP TO 80 KTS ON 5 CONSECUTIVE RADAR HITS BEGINNING AT SORT BOX #1. SPLIT BEACONS WERE OBSERVED AT SORT BOXES #2 AND #3. THIS IS AN EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE. I FILED AN UNSAFE CONDITION RPT (THE SECOND I'VE FILED ON THIS PROB) ON MAY/XX/98. THE OKC RADAR IS UNSAFE. THE LAST UCR I FILED (ABOUT 2 YRS AGO) SUPPOSEDLY ADDRESSED THE PROB BUT LITTLE CHANGE OCCURRED. THIS PROB ALSO AFFECTS THE DECODE HIGH SECTOR AT ZFW. EITHER THE OKC RADAR MUST BE FIXED OR A NEW SITE BUILT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ANALYST ASKED RPTR WHAT RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED ON THE FIRST UCR FILED 2 YRS EARLIER REGARDING THE OKC RADAR SITE. RPTR STATED THAT MAINT PERSONNEL WENT TO THE SITE AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THE PROB. RPTR SAID NO CHANGE WAS NOTICED AND THAT THE PROBS WITH THE EQUIP STILL EXIST. RPTR HAS FILED A SECOND UCR CITING THE SAME DISCREPANCIES. RPTR ALSO COMMENTED THAT OTHER CTLRS HAVE SAID THE PROBS HAVE EXISTED FOR 10-15 YRS. RPTR CLAIMS THE AREA BTWN THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXARKANA SITES IS WHERE MOST OF THE PROBS FREQUENTLY OCCUR. THESE 2 SITES ARE APPROX 400 MI APART ACCORDING TO THE RPTR. THIS ANALYST ASKED IF THE FRINGE AREA BTWN THE 2 SITE LOCATIONS MIGHT BE AN AREA OF POOR RADAR COVERAGE AND WOULD ANOTHER SITE HELP SOLVE THE PROB. THE RPTR SAID IT WOULD DEFINITELY IMPROVE THE COVERAGE. THIS ANALYST SUGGESTED THE RPTR PROVIDE HIS SUPVR INFO THAT COULD BE USED TO FIND A SOLUTION TO IMPROVE THE RADAR. THE RPTR SAID HE WOULD TALK TO HIS UNION REPRESENTATIVE AND TRY TO GET SOMETHING STARTED.

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.

Controller at ZFW observed several anomalies occur while controling 2 particular air carrier aircraft. Controller believes a certain radar site is the main problem and has filed 2 ucr's identing the equipment as unsafe.