ATC equipment problem radar failed while technician was performing maintenance.

Attributes
ACN	271011
Time
Date	199405
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : btv
State Reference	VT
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	271011
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

1 of the radar technicians was performing routine maintenance on the equipment. The maintenance normally causes erratic display of certain data (not data on active aircraft tracks). On this occasion, however, a coincidental failure of other radar equipment occurred. This failure was of such nature that it appeared to be a result of the maintenance (i.e., all flight data was lost from the radar display). This directly causes a delay of 2-3 minutes in complete restoration. The failure occurred while 2 IFR aircraft at 8000 ft were being laterally separated to 5 mi for subsequent handoff to center. A third aircraft was 10 mi in trail, overtaking, and climbing out of 6000 ft for 14000 ft. No loss of separation occurred, but the potential existed. This is an ongoing problem. Routine maintenance occurs during periods of traffic activity (monday through friday), as this is the only time that technicians are scheduled. This appears to be contrary to FAA directives concerning maintenance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR FAILED WHILE TECHNICIAN WAS PERFORMING MAINT.

Narrative: 1 OF THE RADAR TECHNICIANS WAS PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINT ON THE EQUIP. THE MAINT NORMALLY CAUSES ERRATIC DISPLAY OF CERTAIN DATA (NOT DATA ON ACTIVE ACFT TRACKS). ON THIS OCCASION, HOWEVER, A COINCIDENTAL FAILURE OF OTHER RADAR EQUIP OCCURRED. THIS FAILURE WAS OF SUCH NATURE THAT IT APPEARED TO BE A RESULT OF THE MAINT (I.E., ALL FLT DATA WAS LOST FROM THE RADAR DISPLAY). THIS DIRECTLY CAUSES A DELAY OF 2-3 MINUTES IN COMPLETE RESTORATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE 2 IFR ACFT AT 8000 FT WERE BEING LATERALLY SEPARATED TO 5 MI FOR SUBSEQUENT HDOF TO CTR. A THIRD ACFT WAS 10 MI IN TRAIL, OVERTAKING, AND CLBING OUT OF 6000 FT FOR 14000 FT. NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED, BUT THE POTENTIAL EXISTED. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROB. ROUTINE MAINT OCCURS DURING PERIODS OF TFC ACTIVITY (MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY), AS THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THAT TECHNICIANS ARE SCHEDULED. THIS APPEARS TO BE CONTRARY TO FAA DIRECTIVES CONCERNING MAINT.

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.