 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Reporter claims a false target appeared northwest of the mkc VOR displaying squawk and altitude of 4000 ft while working a B727 and a BE55 also at 4000 ft in the vicinity of the VOR.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 390862 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199801 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mkc airport : mci |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mci |
| 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 | arrival other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Baron 55/Cochise |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : unknown |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 12 |
| ASRS Report | 390862 |
| 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 | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
B727 inbound to mci level at 4000 ft, 12 mi south of mkc VOR, false target appeared 16 1/2 mi northwest of mkc, also at 4000 ft showed squawk at altitude. There was a BE55 within 5 mi of the false target, also at 4000 ft. Last few days becoming increasingly common. Creating a lot of confusion. PA31 inbound to mkc from northwest descending from 10000 ft to 6000 ft approximately 40 mi northwest mkc, lost secondary radar on traffic. Approximately 1 min after losing secondary on PA31, a splat from transponder appeared approximately 3 mi in front of the primary radar target. The secondary radar indicated 8000 ft. The splat came from an MD88 that was 40 mi southwest of mkc inbound to mci. PA60 departed mci climbing wbound to 4000 ft. Approximately 21.5 mi southwest mkc VOR, a false target appeared at the same altitude, only the target was 21.5 mi northwest mkc. BE90 departed mci climbing wbound to 14000 ft. Approximately 38 mi west of mkc VOR (33 mi west mci) a false target appeared at same altitude. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the false targets appear primarily in a 210 to 330 degree quadrant from the airport and at altitudes from 3000 to 15000 ft. The problem was initially thought to be WX related, then it was thought to have been resolved by moving 2 cranes which were apparently located in proximity to the radar. Reporter indicated they still have the problem but that maintenance is attempting to fix it.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTR CLAIMS A FALSE TARGET APPEARED NW OF THE MKC VOR DISPLAYING SQUAWK AND ALT OF 4000 FT WHILE WORKING A B727 AND A BE55 ALSO AT 4000 FT IN THE VICINITY OF THE VOR.
Narrative: B727 INBOUND TO MCI LEVEL AT 4000 FT, 12 MI S OF MKC VOR, FALSE TARGET APPEARED 16 1/2 MI NW OF MKC, ALSO AT 4000 FT SHOWED SQUAWK AT ALT. THERE WAS A BE55 WITHIN 5 MI OF THE FALSE TARGET, ALSO AT 4000 FT. LAST FEW DAYS BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMMON. CREATING A LOT OF CONFUSION. PA31 INBOUND TO MKC FROM NW DSNDING FROM 10000 FT TO 6000 FT APPROX 40 MI NW MKC, LOST SECONDARY RADAR ON TFC. APPROX 1 MIN AFTER LOSING SECONDARY ON PA31, A SPLAT FROM XPONDER APPEARED APPROX 3 MI IN FRONT OF THE PRIMARY RADAR TARGET. THE SECONDARY RADAR INDICATED 8000 FT. THE SPLAT CAME FROM AN MD88 THAT WAS 40 MI SW OF MKC INBOUND TO MCI. PA60 DEPARTED MCI CLBING WBOUND TO 4000 FT. APPROX 21.5 MI SW MKC VOR, A FALSE TARGET APPEARED AT THE SAME ALT, ONLY THE TARGET WAS 21.5 MI NW MKC. BE90 DEPARTED MCI CLBING WBOUND TO 14000 FT. APPROX 38 MI W OF MKC VOR (33 MI W MCI) A FALSE TARGET APPEARED AT SAME ALT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FALSE TARGETS APPEAR PRIMARILY IN A 210 TO 330 DEG QUADRANT FROM THE ARPT AND AT ALTS FROM 3000 TO 15000 FT. THE PROB WAS INITIALLY THOUGHT TO BE WX RELATED, THEN IT WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BY MOVING 2 CRANES WHICH WERE APPARENTLY LOCATED IN PROX TO THE RADAR. RPTR INDICATED THEY STILL HAVE THE PROB BUT THAT MAINT IS ATTEMPTING TO FIX IT.
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.