2 pns controllers report ARTS iie and beacon radar equipment failures.

Attributes
ACN	436948
Time
Date	199905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : p31.tracon
State Reference	FL
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 8 controller radar : 19 controller supervisory : 4
ASRS Report	436948
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	controller radar : 16
ASRS Report	436944
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : arts ii e other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Navigational Facility FAA
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	computer equipment : p31.tracon radar equipment : p31.tracon

Narrative:

For the second day in a row, the ARTS iie failed for approximately 5 seconds. I was working 5 aircraft. The data blocks dropped into the coast/suspend list, then reacquired. Supplemental information from acn 436944: tags dropping between 5-10 mi on final at npa (pns) -- very dangerous situation. Callback conversation with facility specialist revealed the following information: facility specialist advised pns converted to a dual site, dual sensor ARTS iie facility. Modifications and upgrades require downtime. Any system interruption requires additional downtime. Along with a major facility remodeling project, some controllers have stated all this activity is unacceptable. (Multiple callback attempts to reporter without response.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 PNS CTLRS RPT ARTS IIE AND BEACON RADAR EQUIP FAILURES.

Narrative: FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW, THE ARTS IIE FAILED FOR APPROX 5 SECONDS. I WAS WORKING 5 ACFT. THE DATA BLOCKS DROPPED INTO THE COAST/SUSPEND LIST, THEN REACQUIRED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 436944: TAGS DROPPING BTWN 5-10 MI ON FINAL AT NPA (PNS) -- VERY DANGEROUS SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH FACILITY SPECIALIST REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FACILITY SPECIALIST ADVISED PNS CONVERTED TO A DUAL SITE, DUAL SENSOR ARTS IIE FACILITY. MODIFICATIONS AND UPGRADES REQUIRE DOWNTIME. ANY SYS INTERRUPTION REQUIRES ADDITIONAL DOWNTIME. ALONG WITH A MAJOR FACILITY REMODELING PROJECT, SOME CTLRS HAVE STATED ALL THIS ACTIVITY IS UNACCEPTABLE. (MULTIPLE CALLBACK ATTEMPTS TO RPTR WITHOUT RESPONSE.)

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.