ATC radar equipment problem ARTS failure.

Attributes
ACN	154609
Time
Date	199008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dal
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ict
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	154609
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Dfw approach called on landline each time and apparently their ARTS was okay. However, on 8/90, the ARTS at dal 'flickered' and then quit. Alphanumerics ceased. All data tags dropped off. This occurred 3 times in one hour. Had to immediately attempt to remember and refer to strips. Supervisor called the technicians who maintained that nothing was wrong because dfw had not experienced any difficulties at all. This has been happening over the last week or so. Not more than once or twice a shift, now this. Recommended that the patch and/or microwave signal system be checked thoroughly. I hope nothing happens, but I feel confident that the technicians should check it out though. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The reporter stated his supervisor had pressed the ARTS issue with dfw radar maintenance and the problem had been resolved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC RADAR EQUIPMENT PROBLEM ARTS FAILURE.

Narrative: DFW APCH CALLED ON LANDLINE EACH TIME AND APPARENTLY THEIR ARTS WAS OKAY. HOWEVER, ON 8/90, THE ARTS AT DAL 'FLICKERED' AND THEN QUIT. ALPHANUMERICS CEASED. ALL DATA TAGS DROPPED OFF. THIS OCCURRED 3 TIMES IN ONE HR. HAD TO IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPT TO REMEMBER AND REFER TO STRIPS. SUPVR CALLED THE TECHNICIANS WHO MAINTAINED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG BECAUSE DFW HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY DIFFICULTIES AT ALL. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE LAST WK OR SO. NOT MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE A SHIFT, NOW THIS. RECOMMENDED THAT THE PATCH AND/OR MICROWAVE SIGNAL SYS BE CHKED THOROUGHLY. I HOPE NOTHING HAPPENS, BUT I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE TECHNICIANS SHOULD CHK IT OUT THOUGH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE RPTR STATED HIS SUPVR HAD PRESSED THE ARTS ISSUE WITH DFW RADAR MAINT AND THE PROB HAD BEEN RESOLVED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.