Narrative:

The cma d-brite periodically fails and the failure is usually WX related. The radar antenna and other equipment is controled by the military which does not allow access to the equipment by FAA technicians on weekends. Consequently; when this failure occurs near the end of the work week; the cma radar is out for the entire weekend; the busiest time periods for air traffic activity at cma. The failure of this radar at any time can compromise safety but the continued non-operation during the weekend is especially dangerous. This failure mode has been experienced on at least 2 recent weekends during which busy traffic was experienced. At cma recently; there was an near midair collision in which the controller actively prevented what likely would have been an actual collision after the controller observed the conflicting targets on the BRITE radar. If the radar had been OTS; a collision would have been likely. Additionally; the radar outage prevents the controller from observing IFR aircraft on approach to cma. While data blocks are not present on the cma BRITE; the position of targets assists the cma controller in verifying the position of aircraft and sequencing aircraft. The radar outage problem could be significantly alleviated if FAA technicians possessed the keys and security clrncs to access the equipment on a continual basis or if military personnel were available on weekends to allow access. Alternatively; a continuous power supply might correct the problem. In my conversations with FAA management and with technicians; I have not received a single intelligent answer as to why this problem is tolerated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CMA CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING D-BRITE FAILURES DURING WEEKENDS WHEN REPAIRS ARE PROHIBITED BECAUSE OF MIL POLICY.

Narrative: THE CMA D-BRITE PERIODICALLY FAILS AND THE FAILURE IS USUALLY WX RELATED. THE RADAR ANTENNA AND OTHER EQUIP IS CTLED BY THE MIL WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW ACCESS TO THE EQUIP BY FAA TECHNICIANS ON WEEKENDS. CONSEQUENTLY; WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURS NEAR THE END OF THE WORK WEEK; THE CMA RADAR IS OUT FOR THE ENTIRE WEEKEND; THE BUSIEST TIME PERIODS FOR AIR TFC ACTIVITY AT CMA. THE FAILURE OF THIS RADAR AT ANY TIME CAN COMPROMISE SAFETY BUT THE CONTINUED NON-OP DURING THE WEEKEND IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. THIS FAILURE MODE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED ON AT LEAST 2 RECENT WEEKENDS DURING WHICH BUSY TFC WAS EXPERIENCED. AT CMA RECENTLY; THERE WAS AN NMAC IN WHICH THE CTLR ACTIVELY PREVENTED WHAT LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACTUAL COLLISION AFTER THE CTLR OBSERVED THE CONFLICTING TARGETS ON THE BRITE RADAR. IF THE RADAR HAD BEEN OTS; A COLLISION WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKELY. ADDITIONALLY; THE RADAR OUTAGE PREVENTS THE CTLR FROM OBSERVING IFR ACFT ON APCH TO CMA. WHILE DATA BLOCKS ARE NOT PRESENT ON THE CMA BRITE; THE POS OF TARGETS ASSISTS THE CMA CTLR IN VERIFYING THE POS OF ACFT AND SEQUENCING ACFT. THE RADAR OUTAGE PROB COULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY ALLEVIATED IF FAA TECHNICIANS POSSESSED THE KEYS AND SECURITY CLRNCS TO ACCESS THE EQUIP ON A CONTINUAL BASIS OR IF MIL PERSONNEL WERE AVAILABLE ON WEEKENDS TO ALLOW ACCESS. ALTERNATIVELY; A CONTINUOUS PWR SUPPLY MIGHT CORRECT THE PROB. IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH FAA MGMNT AND WITH TECHNICIANS; I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A SINGLE INTELLIGENT ANSWER AS TO WHY THIS PROB IS TOLERATED.

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.