ATC equipment problem RVR OTS. Caused aircraft holding until WX improved.

Attributes
ACN	263311
Time
Date	199402
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	263311
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	263309
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

I was working in the TRACON this morning when the WX was near and below approach landing minimums at tpa and most other airports in our terminal area. The RVR readouts were not the same on all indicators. This equipment was deemed unreliable which forced inbound aircraft to enter holding. These aircraft held for about 1 hour until WX conditions improved. There have been complaints from controllers this past week about unreliable readings and should have been rectified then.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIPMENT PROB RVR OTS. CAUSED ACFT HOLDING UNTIL WX IMPROVED.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING IN THE TRACON THIS MORNING WHEN THE WX WAS NEAR AND BELOW APCH LNDG MINIMUMS AT TPA AND MOST OTHER ARPTS IN OUR TERMINAL AREA. THE RVR READOUTS WERE NOT THE SAME ON ALL INDICATORS. THIS EQUIP WAS DEEMED UNRELIABLE WHICH FORCED INBOUND ACFT TO ENTER HOLDING. THESE ACFT HELD FOR ABOUT 1 HR UNTIL WX CONDITIONS IMPROVED. THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS FROM CTLRS THIS PAST WEEK ABOUT UNRELIABLE READINGS AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECTIFIED THEN.

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.