Sju radar controller claims landline from the local position to the approach position has been OTS f...

Attributes
ACN	523422
Time
Date	200108
Day	Sat
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sju.tracon
State Reference	PR
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sju.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Super King Air 200/Huron
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Experience	controller military : 8 controller radar : 16
ASRS Report	523422
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : sju.tower

Narrative:

The override line that goes direct to the local controller from the east and west control position does not work and this is the second time they've been out for a long period of time. Today I had a C182 depart runway 8 and within 1/2 mi off the departure end the aircraft declared an emergency with smoke in the cockpit. With the override line out, I had to coordinate with the tower on the voice line, which is jointly used by ec, wc, ground control, local control, clearance delivery, FD-1 position and the line was in use at the time the emergency was declared and coordination began. Precious seconds were wasted, waiting for the line to clear and getting the local controller to come on the line. If the override had been working I would have had instant communication with the local controller. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said the landline problem has been idented as a faulty computer card. A new one is on order. The reporter seemed satisfied with the response from management.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SJU RADAR CTLR CLAIMS LANDLINE FROM THE LCL POS TO THE APCH POS HAS BEEN OTS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

Narrative: THE OVERRIDE LINE THAT GOES DIRECT TO THE LCL CTLR FROM THE E AND W CTL POS DOES NOT WORK AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THEY'VE BEEN OUT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. TODAY I HAD A C182 DEPART RWY 8 AND WITHIN 1/2 MI OFF THE DEP END THE ACFT DECLARED AN EMER WITH SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. WITH THE OVERRIDE LINE OUT, I HAD TO COORDINATE WITH THE TWR ON THE VOICE LINE, WHICH IS JOINTLY USED BY EC, WC, GC, LC, CD, FD-1 POS AND THE LINE WAS IN USE AT THE TIME THE EMER WAS DECLARED AND COORD BEGAN. PRECIOUS SECONDS WERE WASTED, WAITING FOR THE LINE TO CLR AND GETTING THE LCL CTLR TO COME ON THE LINE. IF THE OVERRIDE HAD BEEN WORKING I WOULD HAVE HAD INSTANT COM WITH THE LCL CTLR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THE LANDLINE PROB HAS BEEN IDENTED AS A FAULTY COMPUTER CARD. A NEW ONE IS ON ORDER. THE RPTR SEEMED SATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSE FROM MGMNT.

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.

Sju radar controller claims landline from the local position to the approach position has been OTS for a long period of time.