Radar equipment problem ARTS IIIA air carrier X data tag went into coast.

Attributes
ACN	228684
Time
Date	199212
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 16
ASRS Report	228684
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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:

Air carrier X departed runway 36 at tpa. The ARTS track is observed tracking 5 NM southeast of the tpa and rapidly moving sse. The actual untagged target is moving north off of tpa. At about 5 NM north I manually start the track. It tracks for about 1- 2 sweeps then disappears totally -- no track anywhere. A manual handoff was then made to ZJX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADAR EQUIP PROBLEM ARTS IIIA ACR X DATA TAG WENT INTO COAST.

Narrative: ACR X DEPARTED RWY 36 AT TPA. THE ARTS TRACK IS OBSERVED TRACKING 5 NM SE OF THE TPA AND RAPIDLY MOVING SSE. THE ACTUAL UNTAGGED TARGET IS MOVING N OFF OF TPA. AT ABOUT 5 NM N I MANUALLY START THE TRACK. IT TRACKS FOR About 1- 2 SWEEPS THEN DISAPPEARS TOTALLY -- NO TRACK ANYWHERE. A MANUAL HDOF WAS THEN MADE TO ZJX.

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.