Narrative:

I was in a class two weeks ago at mem when I heard the tower controller complaining that the crash phone was out of service and nobody in the tower knew anything about it. While performing the daily test (and it did not work) the tower controller in charge called the operations manager to report the outage and was informed that it had been logged out in the TRACON for several days. When I left work yesterday 10/wed/06; there was a message in the ids 4 system stating; 'tower crash phone intermittent: if no contact made with STA33; call dispatch.' the following hand written note is taped on the crash phone receiver. Temporary crash phone procedure: 1) attempt to use the crash phone. 2) if no response from STA33 (wait a couple of seconds); call memphis fire dispatch. 3) lastly call STA33 office (only if dispatcher is not reached). At least if we call 911 it will be recorded. This has gone on for about a month. I would hate to see someone burn up on the airport while the controller was still fumbling with number three on the emergency call list.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING CRASH PHONE RELIABILITY.

Narrative: I WAS IN A CLASS TWO WEEKS AGO AT MEM WHEN I HEARD THE TWR CTLR COMPLAINING THAT THE CRASH PHONE WAS OUT OF SVC AND NOBODY IN THE TWR KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WHILE PERFORMING THE DAILY TEST (AND IT DID NOT WORK) THE TWR CTLR IN CHARGE CALLED THE OPS MANAGER TO RPT THE OUTAGE AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT HAD BEEN LOGGED OUT IN THE TRACON FOR SEVERAL DAYS. WHEN I LEFT WORK YESTERDAY 10/WED/06; THERE WAS A MESSAGE IN THE IDS 4 SYSTEM STATING; 'TWR CRASH PHONE INTERMITTENT: IF NO CONTACT MADE WITH STA33; CALL DISPATCH.' THE FOLLOWING HAND WRITTEN NOTE IS TAPED ON THE CRASH PHONE RECEIVER. TEMPORARY CRASH PHONE PROC: 1) ATTEMPT TO USE THE CRASH PHONE. 2) IF NO RESPONSE FROM STA33 (WAIT A COUPLE OF SECONDS); CALL MEMPHIS FIRE DISPATCH. 3) LASTLY CALL STA33 OFFICE (ONLY IF DISPATCHER IS NOT REACHED). AT LEAST IF WE CALL 911 IT WILL BE RECORDED. THIS HAS GONE ON FOR ABOUT A MONTH. I WOULD HATE TO SEE SOMEONE BURN UP ON THE ARPT WHILE THE CTLR WAS STILL FUMBLING WITH NUMBER THREE ON THE EMER CALL LIST.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.