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5 radar scopes failed when the automation system was switched to darc.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 161436 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199011 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zla |
| State Reference | CA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla artcc : zlc |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 7 controller radar : 7 |
| ASRS Report | 161436 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 20 |
| ASRS Report | 161438 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
On 11/X/90, at approximately XX40Z (XX40 local), after a system transition to the backup radar mode (darc), at least 5 operational control position (sectors: 2, 8, 4, 18, 17) lost al displayed radar data for a period of 8-10 mins. Each of these sectors were working at least 3-4 IFR, high performance aircraft. The ATC specialists involved were fortunately able to quickly reconfigure to other control position, and no losses of sep occurred. The failure was apparently caused by human error (a systems engineer apparently did not properly configure the system prior to initiating the shutdown from the NAS system to the darc system). This loss of all critical data fortunately took place during a relatively light period of traffic. If the failure had occurred approximately 1-2 hours earlier during moderate to heavy traffic, it could have resulted in a loss or losses of sep, or worse.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: 5 RADAR SCOPES FAILED WHEN THE AUTOMATION SYSTEM WAS SWITCHED TO DARC.
Narrative: ON 11/X/90, AT APPROX XX40Z (XX40 LCL), AFTER A SYS TRANSITION TO THE BACKUP RADAR MODE (DARC), AT LEAST 5 OPERATIONAL CTL POS (SECTORS: 2, 8, 4, 18, 17) LOST AL DISPLAYED RADAR DATA FOR A PERIOD OF 8-10 MINS. EACH OF THESE SECTORS WERE WORKING AT LEAST 3-4 IFR, HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT. THE ATC SPECIALISTS INVOLVED WERE FORTUNATELY ABLE TO QUICKLY RECONFIGURE TO OTHER CTL POS, AND NO LOSSES OF SEP OCCURRED. THE FAILURE WAS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY HUMAN ERROR (A SYSTEMS ENGINEER APPARENTLY DID NOT PROPERLY CONFIGURE THE SYS PRIOR TO INITIATING THE SHUTDOWN FROM THE NAS SYS TO THE DARC SYS). THIS LOSS OF ALL CRITICAL DATA FORTUNATELY TOOK PLACE DURING A RELATIVELY LIGHT PERIOD OF TFC. IF THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED APPROX 1-2 HRS EARLIER DURING MODERATE TO HEAVY TFC, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A LOSS OR LOSSES OF SEP, OR WORSE.
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.