ZAU controller observes radar system intrafac coordination failure resulting in all tracked tags bei...

Attributes
ACN	445706
Time
Date	199908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zau.artcc
State Reference	IL
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	445706
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	maintenance : lead technician
Qualification	other other : edarc technician
Events
Anomaly	maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : edarc / host other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : briefing performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Maintenance Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	computer equipment : zau.artcc procedure or policy : zau.artcc radar equipment : zau.artcc

Narrative:

ZAU was using edarc and transitioning to NAS. Prior to the completion, edarc was released to airways facilities and immediately dumped. The result was a complete loss of data on all aircraft. Lost data blocks. Our area (east) had 5 or 6 airplanes. We had to re-identify and find each airplane. The southeast area in ZAU must have had more than 12 airplanes. They lost most data and this resulted in airspace violations. This created undo stress on controllers, delayed clrncs for aircraft, airspace violations, possible SOP/LOA violations, and an all around dangerous atmosphere for 5-10 mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAU CTLR OBSERVES RADAR SYS INTRAFAC COORD FAILURE RESULTING IN ALL TRACKED TAGS BEING DROPPED.

Narrative: ZAU WAS USING EDARC AND TRANSITIONING TO NAS. PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION, EDARC WAS RELEASED TO AIRWAYS FACILITIES AND IMMEDIATELY DUMPED. THE RESULT WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF DATA ON ALL ACFT. LOST DATA BLOCKS. OUR AREA (E) HAD 5 OR 6 AIRPLANES. WE HAD TO RE-IDENT AND FIND EACH AIRPLANE. THE SE AREA IN ZAU MUST HAVE HAD MORE THAN 12 AIRPLANES. THEY LOST MOST DATA AND THIS RESULTED IN AIRSPACE VIOLATIONS. THIS CREATED UNDO STRESS ON CTLRS, DELAYED CLRNCS FOR ACFT, AIRSPACE VIOLATIONS, POSSIBLE SOP/LOA VIOLATIONS, AND AN ALL AROUND DANGEROUS ATMOSPHERE FOR 5-10 MINS.

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.

ZAU controller observes radar system intrafac coordination failure resulting in all tracked tags being dropped.