Narrative:

A potential operational error occurred when 2 aircraft swapped mode C altitude readouts. The radar coverage and capabilities in the vicinity of sie VORTAC are so unacceptable that on a daily basis; targets regularly move up to 3 mi from its last known position. Mode C regularly swaps between aircraft and provides ATC with inaccurate information during critical and complex phases of flight for the air traffic controller. It is only because of the sheer professionalism and expertise of the certified controllers who work the sie sector 59 position; does the system work; albeit on 'crutches.' it is in my opinion that if the performance and reliability of the equipment that supports the FAA mission doesn't improve dramatically in this location and others; safety may be compromised resulting in catastrophic results. I have 23 yrs of experience as an air traffic controller; and I have never seen the equipment more substandard than now; all at a time where traffic levels in the northeast are at record levels and increasing; while the numbers of qualified controllers are decreasing at record levels. The infrastructure of the NAS is crumbling at a time when our country needs it the most; not only for the safe passage of aircraft; crew and passenger; but for our nation's ability to detect and defend our nation.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC CTLR DESCRIBED NEAR OPERROR CAUSED BY FAULTY SWAPPING RADAR MODE C INFO; ALLEGING FAA EQUIP STATUS SUBSTANDARD WITH SAFETY DECREASING.

Narrative: A POTENTIAL OPERROR OCCURRED WHEN 2 ACFT SWAPPED MODE C ALT READOUTS. THE RADAR COVERAGE AND CAPABILITIES IN THE VICINITY OF SIE VORTAC ARE SO UNACCEPTABLE THAT ON A DAILY BASIS; TARGETS REGULARLY MOVE UP TO 3 MI FROM ITS LAST KNOWN POS. MODE C REGULARLY SWAPS BTWN ACFT AND PROVIDES ATC WITH INACCURATE INFO DURING CRITICAL AND COMPLEX PHASES OF FLT FOR THE AIR TFC CTLR. IT IS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE SHEER PROFESSIONALISM AND EXPERTISE OF THE CERTIFIED CTLRS WHO WORK THE SIE SECTOR 59 POS; DOES THE SYS WORK; ALBEIT ON 'CRUTCHES.' IT IS IN MY OPINION THAT IF THE PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY OF THE EQUIP THAT SUPPORTS THE FAA MISSION DOESN'T IMPROVE DRAMATICALLY IN THIS LOCATION AND OTHERS; SAFETY MAY BE COMPROMISED RESULTING IN CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. I HAVE 23 YRS OF EXPERIENCE AS AN AIR TFC CTLR; AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE EQUIP MORE SUBSTANDARD THAN NOW; ALL AT A TIME WHERE TFC LEVELS IN THE NE ARE AT RECORD LEVELS AND INCREASING; WHILE THE NUMBERS OF QUALIFIED CTLRS ARE DECREASING AT RECORD LEVELS. THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE NAS IS CRUMBLING AT A TIME WHEN OUR COUNTRY NEEDS IT THE MOST; NOT ONLY FOR THE SAFE PASSAGE OF ACFT; CREW AND PAX; BUT FOR OUR NATION'S ABILITY TO DETECT AND DEFEND OUR NATION.

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.