Controller reporter states that radar coverage in the vicinity of worcester airport is poor.

Attributes
ACN	161832
Time
Date	199011
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdl airport : orh
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	161832
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified 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:

Bradley approach has poor radar coverage in the vicinity of the worcester airport making it basically a non radar operation. Bradley loses radar on traffic east of worcester at approximately 4000'. On traffic departing runway 29 bradley does not pick aircraft up on radar until approximately 3000'. Traffic that departs runway 11 heading east is picked up on radar by boston approach before bradley sees the aircraft. Because of this poor coverage we have air carriers on non radar NDB 29 approachs which is a less than desirable situation. We are unable to issue traffic advisories to these aircraft during this critical phase of flight. We had already had a systems error involving an air carrier and a GA aircraft, both on NDB 29 approachs to worcester. Boston center, boston approach, and ocean approach have better radar coverage in the worcester area which would improve both safety and service to the flying public.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR REPORTER STATES THAT RADAR COVERAGE IN THE VICINITY OF WORCESTER ARPT IS POOR.

Narrative: BRADLEY APCH HAS POOR RADAR COVERAGE IN THE VICINITY OF THE WORCESTER ARPT MAKING IT BASICALLY A NON RADAR OPERATION. BRADLEY LOSES RADAR ON TFC E OF WORCESTER AT APPROX 4000'. ON TFC DEPARTING RWY 29 BRADLEY DOES NOT PICK ACFT UP ON RADAR UNTIL APPROX 3000'. TFC THAT DEPARTS RWY 11 HDG E IS PICKED UP ON RADAR BY BOSTON APCH BEFORE BRADLEY SEES THE ACFT. BECAUSE OF THIS POOR COVERAGE WE HAVE AIR CARRIERS ON NON RADAR NDB 29 APCHS WHICH IS A LESS THAN DESIRABLE SITUATION. WE ARE UNABLE TO ISSUE TFC ADVISORIES TO THESE ACFT DURING THIS CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. WE HAD ALREADY HAD A SYSTEMS ERROR INVOLVING AN AIR CARRIER AND A GA ACFT, BOTH ON NDB 29 APCHS TO WORCESTER. BOSTON CTR, BOSTON APCH, AND OCEAN APCH HAVE BETTER RADAR COVERAGE IN THE WORCESTER AREA WHICH WOULD IMPROVE BOTH SAFETY AND SVC TO THE FLYING PUBLIC.

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.