Narrative:

I am reporting to help implement a radar environment over and around the chippewa valley regional airport in eau claire, wi. Recently, there was a tragic midair collision between a C310 and a C185. Both pilots were killed on impact. I believe, as well as many other pilots in the area, that the lack of radar coverage was the main contributing factor of the accident. I will explain some of the problems and current sits I deal with on a daily basis flying out of the chippewa valley regional airport. The lack of radar coverage, as stated above, is a huge problem. For example, it is not uncommon to not be in radar coverage from field elevation up to 4500 ft MSL. I have been as high as 7000 ft to the southeast of eau claire, en route, and be out of radar coverage. In addition, the lowest vectoring altitude ZMP can give to an IFR aircraft inbound to land is 3000 ft MSL (2200 ft above the surface). So for an operator, one must fly an approach in order to get a visual even with a very high overcast. (A lot of cost to an operator: charter, airline, etc.) finally, the amount of aircraft traveling in and out of the chippewa valley airport has increased dramatically over the last few yrs. Having the lack of radar coverage means ZMP can only clear 1 IFR aircraft at a time into controled airspace. I have found myself 'holding' on the ground and in the air for other aircraft to 'cancel' or to appear in radar contact. Several times a week is not uncommon. I have witnessed 3 aircraft holding over an NDB and 2 aircraft waiting to depart causing me to situation on the ground 'idling' for up to 45 mins. Other times are not quite as severe, but I firmly believe the airport could support better radar coverage or class D airspace. An NFCT would be excellent for the amount of air traffic at the chippewa valley regional airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C402 PLT COMMENTS ON LACK OF LOW ALT RADAR COVERAGE AT BUSY ARPT IN ZMP AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I AM RPTING TO HELP IMPLEMENT A RADAR ENVIRONMENT OVER AND AROUND THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY REGIONAL ARPT IN EAU CLAIRE, WI. RECENTLY, THERE WAS A TRAGIC MIDAIR COLLISION BTWN A C310 AND A C185. BOTH PLTS WERE KILLED ON IMPACT. I BELIEVE, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER PLTS IN THE AREA, THAT THE LACK OF RADAR COVERAGE WAS THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR OF THE ACCIDENT. I WILL EXPLAIN SOME OF THE PROBS AND CURRENT SITS I DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS FLYING OUT OF THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY REGIONAL ARPT. THE LACK OF RADAR COVERAGE, AS STATED ABOVE, IS A HUGE PROB. FOR EXAMPLE, IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO NOT BE IN RADAR COVERAGE FROM FIELD ELEVATION UP TO 4500 FT MSL. I HAVE BEEN AS HIGH AS 7000 FT TO THE SE OF EAU CLAIRE, ENRTE, AND BE OUT OF RADAR COVERAGE. IN ADDITION, THE LOWEST VECTORING ALT ZMP CAN GIVE TO AN IFR ACFT INBOUND TO LAND IS 3000 FT MSL (2200 FT ABOVE THE SURFACE). SO FOR AN OPERATOR, ONE MUST FLY AN APCH IN ORDER TO GET A VISUAL EVEN WITH A VERY HIGH OVCST. (A LOT OF COST TO AN OPERATOR: CHARTER, AIRLINE, ETC.) FINALLY, THE AMOUNT OF ACFT TRAVELING IN AND OUT OF THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY ARPT HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY OVER THE LAST FEW YRS. HAVING THE LACK OF RADAR COVERAGE MEANS ZMP CAN ONLY CLR 1 IFR ACFT AT A TIME INTO CTLED AIRSPACE. I HAVE FOUND MYSELF 'HOLDING' ON THE GND AND IN THE AIR FOR OTHER ACFT TO 'CANCEL' OR TO APPEAR IN RADAR CONTACT. SEVERAL TIMES A WK IS NOT UNCOMMON. I HAVE WITNESSED 3 ACFT HOLDING OVER AN NDB AND 2 ACFT WAITING TO DEPART CAUSING ME TO SIT ON THE GND 'IDLING' FOR UP TO 45 MINS. OTHER TIMES ARE NOT QUITE AS SEVERE, BUT I FIRMLY BELIEVE THE ARPT COULD SUPPORT BETTER RADAR COVERAGE OR CLASS D AIRSPACE. AN NFCT WOULD BE EXCELLENT FOR THE AMOUNT OF AIR TFC AT THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY REGIONAL ARPT.

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.