Narrative:

I was assigned area manager and supervisor duties for the TRACON. I instructed controllers to issue simultaneous approachs to arrs using precision runway monitor equipment. Approachs were made for 22 mins then the system failed. It was determined the prm was not usable and had been released to airways facilities for training and maintenance during the period it was in use. The minimum separation standards for simultaneous operations were therefore not authority/authorized. 2 aircraft, air carrier X and air carrier Y, were plotted at 1.35 radar mi separation when 1.5 was required. I feel a change to prm needs to be made. When prm is released to af the TRACON should not be able to log on the system and activate the radar. When I started this period, I had all normal indications on the prm until it failed. The only way to know prm was out was a log entry made 5 yrs earlier. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated prm was a new secondary radar system installed for testing at airports with multiple runway operation parallel ILS approachs. After the equipment had been released to maintenance, the supervisor failed to put an 'east' in the margin of the log so the reporter missed the equipment entry and was not briefed by the relieved supervisor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE RWY OP SIMULTANEOUS ILS APCHS. ACR X HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED AREA MGR AND SUPVR DUTIES FOR THE TRACON. I INSTRUCTED CTLRS TO ISSUE SIMULTANEOUS APCHS TO ARRS USING PRECISION RWY MONITOR EQUIP. APCHS WERE MADE FOR 22 MINS THEN THE SYS FAILED. IT WAS DETERMINED THE PRM WAS NOT USABLE AND HAD BEEN RELEASED TO AIRWAYS FACILITIES FOR TRAINING AND MAINT DURING THE PERIOD IT WAS IN USE. THE MINIMUM SEPARATION STANDARDS FOR SIMULTANEOUS OPS WERE THEREFORE NOT AUTH. 2 ACFT, ACR X AND ACR Y, WERE PLOTTED AT 1.35 RADAR MI SEPARATION WHEN 1.5 WAS REQUIRED. I FEEL A CHANGE TO PRM NEEDS TO BE MADE. WHEN PRM IS RELEASED TO AF THE TRACON SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LOG ON THE SYS AND ACTIVATE THE RADAR. WHEN I STARTED THIS PERIOD, I HAD ALL NORMAL INDICATIONS ON THE PRM UNTIL IT FAILED. THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW PRM WAS OUT WAS A LOG ENTRY MADE 5 YRS EARLIER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED PRM WAS A NEW SECONDARY RADAR SYS INSTALLED FOR TESTING AT ARPTS WITH MULTIPLE RWY OP PARALLEL ILS APCHS. AFTER THE EQUIP HAD BEEN RELEASED TO MAINT, THE SUPVR FAILED TO PUT AN 'E' IN THE MARGIN OF THE LOG SO THE RPTR MISSED THE EQUIP ENTRY AND WAS NOT BRIEFED BY THE RELIEVED SUPVR.

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.