Radar outage. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	288277
Time
Date	199411
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	288277
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At approximately XX35 central time memphis approach lost both primary and secondary radar. No warning preceded the radar outage. I had 2 aircraft on vectors for approach and 2 other aircraft transitioning through my airspace. All aircraft were advised of radar outage and non radar procedures were applied. A DC9 inbound to memphis from over holley springs, ms, transitioned approximately 25 mi and descended 4000 ft in non-radar conditions. Upon being advised that radar coverage had been lost, the supervisor in charge attempted to locate a maintenance technician. Approximately 4 min passed before efforts were made to implement cenrap. Radar was restored, through cenrap. Approximately 6 min after the outage began. When instructed by a controller, the supervisor notified the appropriate sectors at ZME.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADAR OUTAGE.

Narrative: AT APPROX XX35 CENTRAL TIME MEMPHIS APCH LOST BOTH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RADAR. NO WARNING PRECEDED THE RADAR OUTAGE. I HAD 2 ACFT ON VECTORS FOR APCH AND 2 OTHER ACFT TRANSITIONING THROUGH MY AIRSPACE. ALL ACFT WERE ADVISED OF RADAR OUTAGE AND NON RADAR PROCS WERE APPLIED. A DC9 INBOUND TO MEMPHIS FROM OVER HOLLEY SPRINGS, MS, TRANSITIONED APPROX 25 MI AND DSNDED 4000 FT IN NON-RADAR CONDITIONS. UPON BEING ADVISED THAT RADAR COVERAGE HAD BEEN LOST, THE SUPVR IN CHARGE ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE A MAINT TECHNICIAN. APPROX 4 MIN PASSED BEFORE EFFORTS WERE MADE TO IMPLEMENT CENRAP. RADAR WAS RESTORED, THROUGH CENRAP. APPROX 6 MIN AFTER THE OUTAGE BEGAN. WHEN INSTRUCTED BY A CTLR, THE SUPVR NOTIFIED THE APPROPRIATE SECTORS AT ZME.

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.