Narrative:

Static electricity was discharged into the icss equipment of the control position I was working, causing the position to fail. I lost all radio communications with aircraft and all interphone communication due to this failure. This has been a continuous problem for several yrs and may cause or contribute to accidents and incidents, if not corrected. An unsatisfactory condition report was filed with the FAA on jan/xa/96 and there is no resolution. At the time of occurrence one aircraft was to be taxied into position and hold (concorde), jetstream on final of intersecting runway told to hold short, acknowledgement not received. Additionally, necessary coordination with new york approach (N90, jfk sector) was being accomplished when position failed leaving me 'hot' in the other controller's ear with no way to hang up causing me to distract him unnecessarily until the problem was resolved. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the problem has not been resolved and indicated that he is unaware of any proposed remedy to fix the problem. Reporter stated a discharge can occur when passing strips from one position to another causing both position to go OTS. Reporter stated he can feel the buildup of static electricity and will have to key the microphone to see if the position/frequency is still working.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTED STATIC ELECTRICITY DISCHARGE TO ICSS EQUIP CAUSED LCL CTLR FREQ POS TO FAIL. RPTR STATES THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS PROB FOR SEVERAL YRS. RPTR LOST COM AT TIME OF INTERSECTING RWY OPS WITH A BA41 LNDG AND CONCORDE IN POS.

Narrative: STATIC ELECTRICITY WAS DISCHARGED INTO THE ICSS EQUIP OF THE CTL POS I WAS WORKING, CAUSING THE POS TO FAIL. I LOST ALL RADIO COMS WITH ACFT AND ALL INTERPHONE COM DUE TO THIS FAILURE. THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS PROB FOR SEVERAL YRS AND MAY CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS, IF NOT CORRECTED. AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION RPT WAS FILED WITH THE FAA ON JAN/XA/96 AND THERE IS NO RESOLUTION. AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE ONE ACFT WAS TO BE TAXIED INTO POS AND HOLD (CONCORDE), JETSTREAM ON FINAL OF INTERSECTING RWY TOLD TO HOLD SHORT, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT NOT RECEIVED. ADDITIONALLY, NECESSARY COORD WITH NEW YORK APCH (N90, JFK SECTOR) WAS BEING ACCOMPLISHED WHEN POS FAILED LEAVING ME 'HOT' IN THE OTHER CTLR'S EAR WITH NO WAY TO HANG UP CAUSING ME TO DISTRACT HIM UNNECESSARILY UNTIL THE PROB WAS RESOLVED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE PROB HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AND INDICATED THAT HE IS UNAWARE OF ANY PROPOSED REMEDY TO FIX THE PROB. RPTR STATED A DISCHARGE CAN OCCUR WHEN PASSING STRIPS FROM ONE POS TO ANOTHER CAUSING BOTH POS TO GO OTS. RPTR STATED HE CAN FEEL THE BUILDUP OF STATIC ELECTRICITY AND WILL HAVE TO KEY THE MIKE TO SEE IF THE POS/FREQ IS STILL 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.