ATC equipment problem radar failed.

Attributes
ACN	270033
Time
Date	199404
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 11
ASRS Report	270033
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While working drv, a combined arrival/departure, push (mid), the west controller advised the control room that all our tags went into coast. I then advised everyone that we lost radar. ARTS dropped immediately and I was left with approximately 11 airplanes, non radar. The 2 other position manned were dra and final. Both were extremely busy. During this time period the supervisor left the control room in search of a radar technician. Approximately 6 mins went by before cenrap was established. Cenrap at memphis takes 3 things: a call to the center, FLIP a switch in the back of the TRACON, and an ARTS keyboard entry. During the entire 6 mins, I was too busy trying to separate my airplanes to call or make any of the above entries. I was not even aware that the supervisor left the room until long after the problem. Cenrap takes approximately 30 seconds to bring up. This was a very dangerous situation that should not have happened. The only free person left us at a time when he was needed most.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR FAILED.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING DRV, A COMBINED ARR/DEP, PUSH (MID), THE W CTLR ADVISED THE CTL ROOM THAT ALL OUR TAGS WENT INTO COAST. I THEN ADVISED EVERYONE THAT WE LOST RADAR. ARTS DROPPED IMMEDIATELY AND I WAS LEFT WITH APPROX 11 AIRPLANES, NON RADAR. THE 2 OTHER POS MANNED WERE DRA AND FINAL. BOTH WERE EXTREMELY BUSY. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD THE SUPVR LEFT THE CTL ROOM IN SEARCH OF A RADAR TECHNICIAN. APPROX 6 MINS WENT BY BEFORE CENRAP WAS ESTABLISHED. CENRAP AT MEMPHIS TAKES 3 THINGS: A CALL TO THE CTR, FLIP A SWITCH IN THE BACK OF THE TRACON, AND AN ARTS KEYBOARD ENTRY. DURING THE ENTIRE 6 MINS, I WAS TOO BUSY TRYING TO SEPARATE MY AIRPLANES TO CALL OR MAKE ANY OF THE ABOVE ENTRIES. I WAS NOT EVEN AWARE THAT THE SUPVR LEFT THE ROOM UNTIL LONG AFTER THE PROB. CENRAP TAKES APPROX 30 SECONDS TO BRING UP. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SIT THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THE ONLY FREE PERSON LEFT US AT A TIME WHEN HE WAS NEEDED MOST.

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.