ATC equipment problem radar ARTS iia data tag drop.

Attributes
ACN	327613
Time
Date	199602
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : flo
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 310/T310C
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : fay
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	327613
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
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
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

C310 was sbound on V3, already handed off to flo approach. When he reached a point 5 mi north of towey, the ARTS ii data tag disappeared, and did not go into the coast/suspend tab list. I did not see a transponder return, or anything else except a primary radar return, for about 10 mi. When the aircraft reached a point 5 mi south of towey, it reaquired immediately, without ever showing a transponder return before handoff. Flo was receiving transponder reply. We have been having similar problems for a while, now, but I don't know of any tags disappearing for anywhere near this long. If I had not already handed the aircraft off to flo, it could have been a major problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated fay is an ARTS iia facility. The problem started 2 months ago. Data tags will drop and there is no transponder splat. Data tag will reappear after 2 or 3 sweeps. Data tag does not go into the coast suspend list. There is no specific location where tags will drop. Maintenance has been unable to correct the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR ARTS IIA DATA TAG DROP.

Narrative: C310 WAS SBOUND ON V3, ALREADY HANDED OFF TO FLO APCH. WHEN HE REACHED A POINT 5 MI N OF TOWEY, THE ARTS II DATA TAG DISAPPEARED, AND DID NOT GO INTO THE COAST/SUSPEND TAB LIST. I DID NOT SEE A XPONDER RETURN, OR ANYTHING ELSE EXCEPT A PRIMARY RADAR RETURN, FOR ABOUT 10 MI. WHEN THE ACFT REACHED A POINT 5 MI S OF TOWEY, IT REAQUIRED IMMEDIATELY, WITHOUT EVER SHOWING A XPONDER RETURN BEFORE HDOF. FLO WAS RECEIVING XPONDER REPLY. WE HAVE BEEN HAVING SIMILAR PROBS FOR A WHILE, NOW, BUT I DON'T KNOW OF ANY TAGS DISAPPEARING FOR ANYWHERE NEAR THIS LONG. IF I HAD NOT ALREADY HANDED THE ACFT OFF TO FLO, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED FAY IS AN ARTS IIA FACILITY. THE PROB STARTED 2 MONTHS AGO. DATA TAGS WILL DROP AND THERE IS NO XPONDER SPLAT. DATA TAG WILL REAPPEAR AFTER 2 OR 3 SWEEPS. DATA TAG DOES NOT GO INTO THE COAST SUSPEND LIST. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC LOCATION WHERE TAGS WILL DROP. MAINT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROB.

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.