ZDC frequency failure with inadequate backup equipment.

Attributes
ACN	131357
Time
Date	198912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc
State Reference	DC
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	131357
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Main receives on 133.02 went out. Fuel priority #1 was unreadable and the only one selectable at that time. Alternate frequency assigned 118.02 was also broken and unreadable. All of these characteristics were given by pilots of air carrier and GA aircraft. I was in the process of giving holding instructions and separating aircraft when this happened. It is impossible to provide a 'safe, orderly and expeditious' flow of air traffic when you cannot communicate and back up systems are unreliable.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC FREQ FAILURE WITH INADEQUATE BACKUP EQUIPMENT.

Narrative: MAIN RECEIVES ON 133.02 WENT OUT. FUEL PRIORITY #1 WAS UNREADABLE AND THE ONLY ONE SELECTABLE AT THAT TIME. ALTERNATE FREQ ASSIGNED 118.02 WAS ALSO BROKEN AND UNREADABLE. ALL OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS WERE GIVEN BY PLTS OF ACR AND GA ACFT. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF GIVING HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AND SEPARATING ACFT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVIDE A 'SAFE, ORDERLY AND EXPEDITIOUS' FLOW OF AIR TFC WHEN YOU CANNOT COMMUNICATE AND BACK UP SYSTEMS ARE UNRELIABLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.