TRACON approach controller working the west final position had his radar and radios fail while he was vectoring 3 aircraft for the ILS approach. Controller switched to the west radar and his radios returned and he was able to keep separation between the aircraft. ASOS was reporting clear and 10 mi visibility, but the visibility was actually 4 mi with haze.

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Attributes
ACN	344924
Time
Date	199608
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 19
ASRS Report	344924
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

3 aircraft approaching parallel finals from east and west. We have 4 radars sites west, east, azle, and sache, I was on west radar when it failed. When it failed my transmitter failed. The aircraft said I was being blocked, when I switched over to east radar my transmitter returned to normal. The ASOS said the WX was clear and 10 mi but we had haze and were ILS'ing with 4 mi visibility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON APCH CTLR WORKING THE W FINAL POS HAD HIS RADAR AND RADIOS FAIL WHILE HE WAS VECTORING 3 ACFT FOR THE ILS APCH. CTLR SWITCHED TO THE W RADAR AND HIS RADIOS RETURNED AND HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP SEPARATION BTWN THE ACFT. ASOS WAS RPTING CLR AND 10 MI VISIBILITY, BUT THE VISIBILITY WAS ACTUALLY 4 MI WITH HAZE.

Narrative: 3 ACFT APCHING PARALLEL FINALS FROM E AND W. WE HAVE 4 RADARS SITES W, E, AZLE, AND SACHE, I WAS ON W RADAR WHEN IT FAILED. WHEN IT FAILED MY XMITTER FAILED. THE ACFT SAID I WAS BEING BLOCKED, WHEN I SWITCHED OVER TO E RADAR MY XMITTER RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE ASOS SAID THE WX WAS CLR AND 10 MI BUT WE HAD HAZE AND WERE ILS'ING WITH 4 MI VISIBILITY.

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.