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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Reporter contends that the tpa-srq ASR-9 radar sites are providing false and inaccurate WX returns. PIREPS allegedly indicated VFR with no thunderstorm or turbulence activity.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 344118 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199608 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : lal airport : tpa |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : tpa |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar pilot : instrument |
| Experience | controller military : 4 controller radar : 15 flight time total : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 344118 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
I was working our east departure sector during the evening hours of aug/mon/96. When I started working the sector I observed an area of level 2-LEVEL 5 precipitation returns 12 mi southeast of lal. I warned aircraft in my sector of the WX as required. I started suggesting deviations and route changes. Pilot reports in the affected area indicated scattered to clear skies in the area with a 'couple' of buildups. The WX return on my ASR-9 indicator was fake. Our ASR-9 radar WX display failed us again. We then crosschecked our other radar sources. Our second ASR-9 radar at srq showed the same WX near lal, but also showed additional level 3-5 WX east of tpa which was not displayed on the tpa ASR-9. The tpa doppler radar showed no precipitation returns anywhere. We thought the returns were real due to thunderstorm activity in our airspace a few hours earlier.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTR CONTENDS THAT THE TPA-SRQ ASR-9 RADAR SITES ARE PROVIDING FALSE AND INACCURATE WX RETURNS. PIREPS ALLEGEDLY INDICATED VFR WITH NO TSTM OR TURB ACTIVITY.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING OUR E DEP SECTOR DURING THE EVENING HRS OF AUG/MON/96. WHEN I STARTED WORKING THE SECTOR I OBSERVED AN AREA OF LEVEL 2-LEVEL 5 PRECIP RETURNS 12 MI SE OF LAL. I WARNED ACFT IN MY SECTOR OF THE WX AS REQUIRED. I STARTED SUGGESTING DEVS AND RTE CHANGES. PLT RPTS IN THE AFFECTED AREA INDICATED SCATTERED TO CLR SKIES IN THE AREA WITH A 'COUPLE' OF BUILDUPS. THE WX RETURN ON MY ASR-9 INDICATOR WAS FAKE. OUR ASR-9 RADAR WX DISPLAY FAILED US AGAIN. WE THEN XCHKED OUR OTHER RADAR SOURCES. OUR SECOND ASR-9 RADAR AT SRQ SHOWED THE SAME WX NEAR LAL, BUT ALSO SHOWED ADDITIONAL LEVEL 3-5 WX E OF TPA WHICH WAS NOT DISPLAYED ON THE TPA ASR-9. THE TPA DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED NO PRECIP RETURNS ANYWHERE. WE THOUGHT THE RETURNS WERE REAL DUE TO TSTM ACTIVITY IN OUR AIRSPACE A FEW HRS EARLIER.
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.