Hou local controller encounters difficulty with 'dead spot' with an HS25 on approach end runway 22.

Attributes
ACN	518910
Time
Date	200107
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : hou&.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 2.5 controller military : 5 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	518910
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Facility

Narrative:

The hawker aircraft was taxied into position and hold on runway 22 using frequency 118.7. The aircraft was subsequently cleared for takeoff, but held in position and didn't respond. After the duration of 1 min or so, another aircraft was able to relay to the hawker to pull up 20 ft on the runway to regain reception. This is a common problem with smaller cpr jets. This poses a serious safety problem because a controller can clear an aircraft for takeoff and not know if the aircraft is going to roll or not. There have been occasions of this happening with other aircraft landing on the crossing runway. The problem has been communicated to the FAA in the form of a ucr. The antenna has been moved, but the problem still exists and the report is still open.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOU LCL CTLR ENCOUNTERS DIFFICULTY WITH 'DEAD SPOT' WITH AN HS25 ON APCH END RWY 22.

Narrative: THE HAWKER ACFT WAS TAXIED INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 22 USING FREQ 118.7. THE ACFT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR TKOF, BUT HELD IN POS AND DIDN'T RESPOND. AFTER THE DURATION OF 1 MIN OR SO, ANOTHER ACFT WAS ABLE TO RELAY TO THE HAWKER TO PULL UP 20 FT ON THE RWY TO REGAIN RECEPTION. THIS IS A COMMON PROB WITH SMALLER CPR JETS. THIS POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY PROB BECAUSE A CTLR CAN CLR AN ACFT FOR TKOF AND NOT KNOW IF THE ACFT IS GOING TO ROLL OR NOT. THERE HAVE BEEN OCCASIONS OF THIS HAPPENING WITH OTHER ACFT LNDG ON THE XING RWY. THE PROB HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED TO THE FAA IN THE FORM OF A UCR. THE ANTENNA HAS BEEN MOVED, BUT THE PROB STILL EXISTS AND THE RPT IS STILL OPEN.

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.