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Mem tower controller described event when the ILS to runway 18R was utilized on battery power; alleging several pilot reports of an erratic signal.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 723625 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200701 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mem.tracon |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal VMC |
| Weather Elements | Rain Fog |
| Light | Night |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : clearance delivery |
| Qualification | controller : radar controller : military |
| Experience | controller military : 4 controller radar : 20 controller time certified in position1 : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 723625 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Navigational Facility |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
During the evening inbound arrival push; the runway 18R ILS system went into 'alarm.' maintenance subsequently reported to the supervisor that the system was back on line and operating on battery power; and that the batteries would last for approximately 2 hours before shutting down. The ILS panel in the tower cabin attendant indicated a green light for the localizer; but a red light for the GS. Approach continued to run staggered approachs to runways 18L and 18R. Approach issued 'GS inoperative' to all aircraft utilizing the runway 18R ILS and the ATIS was not changed. All arriving aircraft reported 'wild;' 'erratic;' and 'rapid' needle fluctuations on the ILS. It is a weekly; if not daily event to see some component of our 8 ILS system to be OTS. Situations involving the GS; battery power; commercial power; and generator power being OTS are now a daily part of doing business here at mem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MEM TWR CTLR DESCRIBED EVENT WHEN THE ILS TO RWY 18R WAS UTILIZED ON BATTERY PWR; ALLEGING SEVERAL PLT RPTS OF AN ERRATIC SIGNAL.
Narrative: DURING THE EVENING INBOUND ARR PUSH; THE RWY 18R ILS SYS WENT INTO 'ALARM.' MAINT SUBSEQUENTLY RPTED TO THE SUPVR THAT THE SYS WAS BACK ON LINE AND OPERATING ON BATTERY PWR; AND THAT THE BATTERIES WOULD LAST FOR APPROX 2 HRS BEFORE SHUTTING DOWN. THE ILS PANEL IN THE TWR CAB INDICATED A GREEN LIGHT FOR THE LOC; BUT A RED LIGHT FOR THE GS. APCH CONTINUED TO RUN STAGGERED APCHS TO RWYS 18L AND 18R. APCH ISSUED 'GS INOP' TO ALL ACFT UTILIZING THE RWY 18R ILS AND THE ATIS WAS NOT CHANGED. ALL ARRIVING ACFT RPTED 'WILD;' 'ERRATIC;' AND 'RAPID' NEEDLE FLUCTUATIONS ON THE ILS. IT IS A WEEKLY; IF NOT DAILY EVENT TO SEE SOME COMPONENT OF OUR 8 ILS SYS TO BE OTS. SITUATIONS INVOLVING THE GS; BATTERY PWR; COMMERCIAL PWR; AND GENERATOR PWR BEING OTS ARE NOW A DAILY PART OF DOING BUSINESS HERE AT MEM.
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.