Narrative:

Center radar was down in salina area, before departure from salina. I was cleared for left turn (from runway 17) to sln, then V4 to hill city. After takeoff tower put me on a 110 degree vector, then handed me off to ZKC. Center asked for my position. I reported 5 mi east of salina airport. Center cleared me direct to fnl at 4000 ft. That course put us between sln and ksln, while at least 2 other aircraft were in hold above sln awaiting approach to sln. Somewhat frantically, the controller asked my position again. I reported 4 mi south of sln VOR. She denied holding aircraft from initiating approach, due to my position. One of the holding aircraft reported 'low fuel' and requested immediate approach. Controller explained my position and asked that pilot to continue holding. That pilot again requested immediate let-down due to low fuel. Controller asked if he was declaring emergency. He said no, but insisted on immediate handling. Finally, after I reported 8 mi west of VOR, controller cleared the low fuel pilot for approach. It seemed, without radar, the controller may have not initially understood my position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHEN THE ZKC RADAR FAILED, THE CTLR USED PLT RPTS TO SEPARATE A DEPARTING PA46 FROM TFC IN A NEARBY HOLDING PATTERN DECLARING LOW FUEL.

Narrative: CTR RADAR WAS DOWN IN SALINA AREA, BEFORE DEP FROM SALINA. I WAS CLRED FOR L TURN (FROM RWY 17) TO SLN, THEN V4 TO HILL CITY. AFTER TKOF TWR PUT ME ON A 110 DEG VECTOR, THEN HANDED ME OFF TO ZKC. CTR ASKED FOR MY POS. I RPTED 5 MI E OF SALINA ARPT. CTR CLRED ME DIRECT TO FNL AT 4000 FT. THAT COURSE PUT US BTWN SLN AND KSLN, WHILE AT LEAST 2 OTHER ACFT WERE IN HOLD ABOVE SLN AWAITING APCH TO SLN. SOMEWHAT FRANTICALLY, THE CTLR ASKED MY POS AGAIN. I RPTED 4 MI S OF SLN VOR. SHE DENIED HOLDING ACFT FROM INITIATING APCH, DUE TO MY POS. ONE OF THE HOLDING ACFT RPTED 'LOW FUEL' AND REQUESTED IMMEDIATE APCH. CTLR EXPLAINED MY POS AND ASKED THAT PLT TO CONTINUE HOLDING. THAT PLT AGAIN REQUESTED IMMEDIATE LET-DOWN DUE TO LOW FUEL. CTLR ASKED IF HE WAS DECLARING EMER. HE SAID NO, BUT INSISTED ON IMMEDIATE HANDLING. FINALLY, AFTER I RPTED 8 MI W OF VOR, CTLR CLRED THE LOW FUEL PLT FOR APCH. IT SEEMED, WITHOUT RADAR, THE CTLR MAY HAVE NOT INITIALLY UNDERSTOOD MY POS.

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.