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ZTL sector R48 controller observes unknown tracked beacon target converging on a PA31 tracked target, issuing a conflict alert as the targets merge, only to determine that the real conflicting aircraft is 40 mi away descending into clt. Controller states maiden (qrm) ARSR site displayed a false target into his sector.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 430640 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199903 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ztl.artcc |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Jetstream 32 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival star : magic 9 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar pilot : student |
| Experience | controller radar : 17 controller time certified in position1 : 15 flight time total : 10 |
| ASRS Report | 430640 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : arsr radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 6000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | radar equipment : ztl.artcc |
Narrative:
I was working R48. We were just recovering from a busy period. Aircraft X was direct buy with no traffic. I was scanning the strips, making sure that we hadn't missed anything during the busy period. Conflict alert activated on aircraft X was unknown traffic on code XXXX, 9100 ft, 12 O'clock position, 1 mi and head-on. I called traffic to aircraft X. As I was doing so the targets merged. Beacon code XXXX was air carrier Y descending into clt from pgv. The aircraft was 40 mi away on the majic 9 STAR. It was a false target/ring-around from the maiden ARSR (qrm). This is the third incident with this radar site.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZTL SECTOR R48 CTLR OBSERVES UNKNOWN TRACKED BEACON TARGET CONVERGING ON A PA31 TRACKED TARGET, ISSUING A CONFLICT ALERT AS THE TARGETS MERGE, ONLY TO DETERMINE THAT THE REAL CONFLICTING ACFT IS 40 MI AWAY DSNDING INTO CLT. CTLR STATES MAIDEN (QRM) ARSR SITE DISPLAYED A FALSE TARGET INTO HIS SECTOR.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING R48. WE WERE JUST RECOVERING FROM A BUSY PERIOD. ACFT X WAS DIRECT BUY WITH NO TFC. I WAS SCANNING THE STRIPS, MAKING SURE THAT WE HADN'T MISSED ANYTHING DURING THE BUSY PERIOD. CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED ON ACFT X WAS UNKNOWN TFC ON CODE XXXX, 9100 FT, 12 O'CLOCK POS, 1 MI AND HEAD-ON. I CALLED TFC TO ACFT X. AS I WAS DOING SO THE TARGETS MERGED. BEACON CODE XXXX WAS ACR Y DSNDING INTO CLT FROM PGV. THE ACFT WAS 40 MI AWAY ON THE MAJIC 9 STAR. IT WAS A FALSE TARGET/RING-AROUND FROM THE MAIDEN ARSR (QRM). THIS IS THE THIRD INCIDENT WITH THIS RADAR SITE.
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.