Clt controller voiced concern regarding radar limitations.

Attributes
ACN	742240
Time
Date	200706
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Cessna 402/402C/B379 Businessliner/Utiliner
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local controller : approach controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 22 controller time certified in position1 : 13
ASRS Report	742240
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	radar equipment : clt.tracon

Narrative:

A C402 was inbound to jqf from fay. Aircraft was level at 4000 ft. Radar contact was lost at the clt 090045 and not re-idented until the clt 085036. This area of poor radar coverage has been reported to you before as it has been going on for the 13 yrs I've been at clt. About 4-5 yrs ago; some controllers here were reporting each event and after about 2 months we were told your office issued some sort of safety advisory for this area. At that point we stopped reporting this type of event. The problem has not gone away and got just slightly better. Aircraft are routinely lost between the clt 075 and clt 110R between 35-50 mi at or below 6000 ft or 7000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLT CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING RADAR LIMITATIONS.

Narrative: A C402 WAS INBOUND TO JQF FROM FAY. ACFT WAS LEVEL AT 4000 FT. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT THE CLT 090045 AND NOT RE-IDENTED UNTIL THE CLT 085036. THIS AREA OF POOR RADAR COVERAGE HAS BEEN RPTED TO YOU BEFORE AS IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE 13 YRS I'VE BEEN AT CLT. ABOUT 4-5 YRS AGO; SOME CTLRS HERE WERE RPTING EACH EVENT AND AFTER ABOUT 2 MONTHS WE WERE TOLD YOUR OFFICE ISSUED SOME SORT OF SAFETY ADVISORY FOR THIS AREA. AT THAT POINT WE STOPPED RPTING THIS TYPE OF EVENT. THE PROB HAS NOT GONE AWAY AND GOT JUST SLIGHTLY BETTER. ACFT ARE ROUTINELY LOST BTWN THE CLT 075 AND CLT 110R BTWN 35-50 MI AT OR BELOW 6000 FT OR 7000 FT.

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.