ATC radio equipment design status problem communication failure.

Attributes
ACN	298702
Time
Date	199503
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zfw
State Reference	TX
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 11
ASRS Report	298702
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At approximately XX15Z on mar/fri/95, on the donie intermediate sector at ZFW ARTCC, all the frequencys became unusable. This includes the secondary frequency, and the emergency backup frequencys. Additionally, the 300 system (landline) communication system failed. These failures occurred at a heavy traffic period and created a potentially dangerous situation. In general, the equipment is really becoming brittle. If new equipment is not available, maybe the preventive maintenance program for ATC equipment needs to be intensified. The controllers can only be as effective as their equipment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC RADIO EQUIP DESIGN STATUS PROB COM FAILURE.

Narrative: AT APPROX XX15Z ON MAR/FRI/95, ON THE DONIE INTERMEDIATE SECTOR AT ZFW ARTCC, ALL THE FREQS BECAME UNUSABLE. THIS INCLUDES THE SECONDARY FREQ, AND THE EMER BACKUP FREQS. ADDITIONALLY, THE 300 SYS (LANDLINE) COM SYS FAILED. THESE FAILURES OCCURRED AT A HVY TFC PERIOD AND CREATED A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT. IN GENERAL, THE EQUIP IS REALLY BECOMING BRITTLE. IF NEW EQUIP IS NOT AVAILABLE, MAYBE THE PREVENTIVE MAINT PROGRAM FOR ATC EQUIP NEEDS TO BE INTENSIFIED. THE CTLRS CAN ONLY BE AS EFFECTIVE AS THEIR EQUIP.

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.