 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Reporter situation of a BE18 target dropping off the radar near the boundary of an adjacent facility's airspace. Reporter claims a new radar antenna was installed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 346921 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199608 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : rfd |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : rfd |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Twin Beech 18 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 14 controller radar : 6 |
| ASRS Report | 346921 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| 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:
I was working the arrival/departure sector with moderate to busy traffic. In addition to IFR traffic, there were practice approachs and VFR advisories. Another factor that added to the workload was airway facility technician calling for line checks to test the land line to the new elgin TRACON. During a routine scan of my flight strips and active traffic, I notice that an aircraft had dropped off the radar. I immediately called the adjacent facility for a manual handoff (hoping they would see the aircraft). When they finally did locate the aircraft, it was just a few mi from their boundary. If this situation had gone unnoticed much longer, an operational deviation would have occurred. In may/xx/96 rfd ATCT received a new antennae. Since then, aircraft have been dropping off radar on a continuing basis. FAA management has been made aware of the situation since early jun/xx/96, but nothing has been done. In fact, just within the last 2 weeks, they were able to get our standby beacon channel working.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTR SIT OF A BE18 TARGET DROPPING OFF THE RADAR NEAR THE BOUNDARY OF AN ADJACENT FACILITY'S AIRSPACE. RPTR CLAIMS A NEW RADAR ANTENNA WAS INSTALLED.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE ARR/DEP SECTOR WITH MODERATE TO BUSY TFC. IN ADDITION TO IFR TFC, THERE WERE PRACTICE APCHS AND VFR ADVISORIES. ANOTHER FACTOR THAT ADDED TO THE WORKLOAD WAS AIRWAY FACILITY TECHNICIAN CALLING FOR LINE CHKS TO TEST THE LAND LINE TO THE NEW ELGIN TRACON. DURING A ROUTINE SCAN OF MY FLT STRIPS AND ACTIVE TFC, I NOTICE THAT AN ACFT HAD DROPPED OFF THE RADAR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE ADJACENT FACILITY FOR A MANUAL HDOF (HOPING THEY WOULD SEE THE ACFT). WHEN THEY FINALLY DID LOCATE THE ACFT, IT WAS JUST A FEW MI FROM THEIR BOUNDARY. IF THIS SIT HAD GONE UNNOTICED MUCH LONGER, AN OPERATIONAL DEV WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. IN MAY/XX/96 RFD ATCT RECEIVED A NEW ANTENNAE. SINCE THEN, ACFT HAVE BEEN DROPPING OFF RADAR ON A CONTINUING BASIS. FAA MGMNT HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE SIT SINCE EARLY JUN/XX/96, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. IN FACT, JUST WITHIN THE LAST 2 WKS, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET OUR STANDBY BEACON CHANNEL WORKING.
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.