Narrative:

I was working east departure in the liberty area of the new york TRACON. It was fairly busy with about 8+ aircraft on my frequency and 3-4 more about to be switched to me when my radar scope went blank -- black with no targets -- nothing! I turned to the other scopes and controllers in my area and asked if someone would please bring up an east map because my scope is blank and I need it fast. I ended up 2 scopes down and it took about 45 seconds to 1 min for that controller to find a map that would work for both of us since he was busy also. The only map he could come up with that we could use with the radar sensor he was on meant that the east edge of my airspace was non radar, and since I did not have my flight progress strips in front of me, I was relying on memory and ZBW to tell me who I needed to switch to their frequency. I was still plugged in to my scope because that is where the frequency was for me. As far as I know, no airplanes lost standard separation with another. This was a very dangerous situation. Due to the radar equipment we now use (we have been using it for almost 1 yr) it takes no less than 4 computer entries to bring up a different map and that takes time that we do not always have. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that N90 utilizes approximately 80 advanced color display consoles. The advanced color displays were installed approximately 1 yr ago, and are a better presentation than the ones replaces. Both radar console system are a 20 yr design. Dfw is the only other known ATC facility the reporter is aware of that utilizes these consoles. Maintenance quickly responded and replaced the failed advanced color displays. Later, the maintenance technician stated that they were not yet sure what caused the failure, but the controllers could expect (from advanced color displays) failure without warning. It appears to be the nature of the equipment. The reporter advised that she had to 'work around' the adjoining controller because of his unfamiliarity with the equipment. The reporter stated a spare position is available in the control area to accommodate for just this type of failure. Although available, the reporter advises that it can still be a 'start,' requiring quick reaction and 3 or 4 computer entries for airspace reconfign.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: N90 CTLR ENCOUNTERS RADAR SCOPE FAILURE AND DIFFICULTY WITH DISPLAYING EXPANDED RADAR COVERAGE ON ANOTHER CTLR'S RADAR INDICATOR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING E DEP IN THE LIBERTY AREA OF THE NEW YORK TRACON. IT WAS FAIRLY BUSY WITH ABOUT 8+ ACFT ON MY FREQ AND 3-4 MORE ABOUT TO BE SWITCHED TO ME WHEN MY RADAR SCOPE WENT BLANK -- BLACK WITH NO TARGETS -- NOTHING! I TURNED TO THE OTHER SCOPES AND CTLRS IN MY AREA AND ASKED IF SOMEONE WOULD PLEASE BRING UP AN E MAP BECAUSE MY SCOPE IS BLANK AND I NEED IT FAST. I ENDED UP 2 SCOPES DOWN AND IT TOOK ABOUT 45 SECONDS TO 1 MIN FOR THAT CTLR TO FIND A MAP THAT WOULD WORK FOR BOTH OF US SINCE HE WAS BUSY ALSO. THE ONLY MAP HE COULD COME UP WITH THAT WE COULD USE WITH THE RADAR SENSOR HE WAS ON MEANT THAT THE E EDGE OF MY AIRSPACE WAS NON RADAR, AND SINCE I DID NOT HAVE MY FLT PROGRESS STRIPS IN FRONT OF ME, I WAS RELYING ON MEMORY AND ZBW TO TELL ME WHO I NEEDED TO SWITCH TO THEIR FREQ. I WAS STILL PLUGGED IN TO MY SCOPE BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE FREQ WAS FOR ME. AS FAR AS I KNOW, NO AIRPLANES LOST STANDARD SEPARATION WITH ANOTHER. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SIT. DUE TO THE RADAR EQUIP WE NOW USE (WE HAVE BEEN USING IT FOR ALMOST 1 YR) IT TAKES NO LESS THAN 4 COMPUTER ENTRIES TO BRING UP A DIFFERENT MAP AND THAT TAKES TIME THAT WE DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT N90 UTILIZES APPROX 80 ADVANCED COLOR DISPLAY CONSOLES. THE ADVANCED COLOR DISPLAYS WERE INSTALLED APPROX 1 YR AGO, AND ARE A BETTER PRESENTATION THAN THE ONES REPLACES. BOTH RADAR CONSOLE SYS ARE A 20 YR DESIGN. DFW IS THE ONLY OTHER KNOWN ATC FACILITY THE RPTR IS AWARE OF THAT UTILIZES THESE CONSOLES. MAINT QUICKLY RESPONDED AND REPLACED THE FAILED ADVANCED COLOR DISPLAYS. LATER, THE MAINT TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT YET SURE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE, BUT THE CTLRS COULD EXPECT (FROM ADVANCED COLOR DISPLAYS) FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING. IT APPEARS TO BE THE NATURE OF THE EQUIP. THE RPTR ADVISED THAT SHE HAD TO 'WORK AROUND' THE ADJOINING CTLR BECAUSE OF HIS UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE EQUIP. THE RPTR STATED A SPARE POS IS AVAILABLE IN THE CTL AREA TO ACCOMMODATE FOR JUST THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. ALTHOUGH AVAILABLE, THE RPTR ADVISES THAT IT CAN STILL BE A 'START,' REQUIRING QUICK REACTION AND 3 OR 4 COMPUTER ENTRIES FOR AIRSPACE RECONFIGN.

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.