Data tag dropped on aircraft in northeast quadrant of radar site.

Attributes
ACN	217364
Time
Date	199208
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ggg
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ggg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	217364
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Small transport X departed gregg county airport direct to little rock, ar. A beacon return was observed on departure, and the target automatic-acquired its associated artsii a tag. At 2E of GGG VORTAC, the beacon return was lost, and the associated tag went into a 'coast' status. Manual handoff was effected with shv approach approximately 12 northeast of GGG VORTAC. Shv approach advised they were receiving a strong beacon return on small transport X at 7000 ft. At 30 northeast of GGG VORTAC, shv approach again advised they were receiving a strong beacon at 11000 ft. Target was tracked to edge of scope, and beacon return was never observed. A ucr has been filed on this incident (ucr-a). This aircraft was operating in the same quadrant as another aircraft whose intermittent beacon return directly or indirectly contributed to an operational deviation (ucr-B). The beacon system and associated artsiia equipment and software in use at GGG ATCT needs to be thoroughly evaluated for performance. Verification should also be made that small transport X is operating with a transponder meeting required specifications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DATA TAG DROPPED ON ACFT IN NE QUADRANT OF RADAR SITE.

Narrative: SMT X DEPARTED GREGG COUNTY ARPT DIRECT TO LITTLE ROCK, AR. A BEACON RETURN WAS OBSERVED ON DEP, AND THE TARGET AUTO-ACQUIRED ITS ASSOCIATED ARTSII A TAG. AT 2E OF GGG VORTAC, THE BEACON RETURN WAS LOST, AND THE ASSOCIATED TAG WENT INTO A 'COAST' STATUS. MANUAL HDOF WAS EFFECTED WITH SHV APCH APPROX 12 NE OF GGG VORTAC. SHV APCH ADVISED THEY WERE RECEIVING A STRONG BEACON RETURN ON SMT X AT 7000 FT. AT 30 NE OF GGG VORTAC, SHV APCH AGAIN ADVISED THEY WERE RECEIVING A STRONG BEACON AT 11000 FT. TARGET WAS TRACKED TO EDGE OF SCOPE, AND BEACON RETURN WAS NEVER OBSERVED. A UCR HAS BEEN FILED ON THIS INCIDENT (UCR-A). THIS ACFT WAS OPERATING IN THE SAME QUADRANT AS ANOTHER ACFT WHOSE INTERMITTENT BEACON RETURN DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED TO AN OPERATIONAL DEV (UCR-B). THE BEACON SYS AND ASSOCIATED ARTSIIA EQUIP AND SOFTWARE IN USE AT GGG ATCT NEEDS TO BE THOROUGHLY EVALUATED FOR PERFORMANCE. VERIFICATION SHOULD ALSO BE MADE THAT SMT X IS OPERATING WITH A TRANSPONDER MEETING REQUIRED SPECS.

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.