ZHU controller reports no target available on an aircraft due to ads-B problems.

Attributes
ACN	866833
Time
Date	200912
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZHU.ARTCC
State Reference	TX
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Super King Air 200
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	Descent
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Enroute
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Airspace Violation All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict

Narrative:

During a (previously) unknown ads-B problem aircraft X was climbing out of jka airport on northwest heading to clear a MOA. Aircraft had been handed off with interim of FL230 assigned and non-automated handoff to sector 25. Aircraft was actually flashing to another sector but then readdressed to ZHU sector 25. During call for handoff no limited/primary or other target was visible until aircraft was out of 8500 ft due to ads-B limitation/problem. Air carrier Y traffic was a factor vertical separation used by leveling aircraft X then vectors to both aircraft to gain lateral to expedite separation. We should have been able to see aircraft X out of 2000 ft minimum sometimes as low as 500 ft. Ads-B blocked aircraft from normal radar input and info. Fix ads-B to support nas not preclude it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZHU Controller reports no target available on an aircraft due to ADS-B problems.

Narrative: During a (previously) UNKNOWN ADS-B problem Aircraft X was climbing out of JKA airport on NW heading to clear a MOA. Aircraft had been handed off with interim of FL230 assigned and non-automated handoff to Sector 25. Aircraft was actually flashing to another sector but then readdressed to ZHU Sector 25. During call for handoff no limited/primary or other target was visible until aircraft was out of 8500 FT due to ADS-B limitation/problem. Air Carrier Y traffic was a factor vertical separation used by leveling Aircraft X then vectors to both aircraft to gain lateral to expedite separation. We should have been able to see Aircraft X out of 2000 FT minimum sometimes as low as 500 FT. ADS-B blocked aircraft from normal radar input and info. Fix ADS-B to support nas not preclude it.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.