Unreliable secondary radar beacon system (atcbi III) at iad.

Attributes
ACN	222734
Time
Date	199210
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 0 msl single value : 17000
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	222734
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
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

The present radar beacon system at iad ATCT is very unreliable. It regularly drops beacon targets regardless of which channel is selected. This has been a recurring problem that has not been rectified. The last occurrences were on july X and Y. On 7/X this was during thunderstorm activity; not a very good time to be losing beacon targets. With this consistent problem we feel it is only a matter of time before an incident happens directly relating to it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNRELIABLE SECONDARY RADAR BEACON SYS (ATCBI III) AT IAD.

Narrative: THE PRESENT RADAR BEACON SYS AT IAD ATCT IS VERY UNRELIABLE. IT REGULARLY DROPS BEACON TARGETS REGARDLESS OF WHICH CHANNEL IS SELECTED. THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN RECTIFIED. THE LAST OCCURRENCES WERE ON JULY X AND Y. ON 7/X THIS WAS DURING TSTM ACTIVITY; NOT A VERY GOOD TIME TO BE LOSING BEACON TARGETS. WITH THIS CONSISTENT PROBLEM WE FEEL IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE AN INCIDENT HAPPENS DIRECTLY RELATING TO IT.

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.