Date: 201605
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZSU.ARTCC, PR
Aircraft: PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Descent
Airspace: Class C SJU
ATC / advisory: Center ZSU
Second aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Approach
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Contributing factors: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure
Primary problem: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings

Narrative: Aircraft X was inbound. I approved Aircraft X to enter my airspace at 5;000 feet because I was receiving Non Arts track and Coast Track in the scratchpad. I advised the supervisor; because although this type of occurrence is not all that uncommon at this facility; a properly functioning radar should be able to follow an aircraft 30 miles away from the antenna at 5;000 feet with no obstructions in between (aircraft was line-of-sight with the antenna). Nothing was done.At 5 miles inside my airspace Aircraft X was switched to my frequency. I went from ASR-8 (primary radar display) to MOSAIC mode and notified the supervisor that the ASR-8 radar sensor was not acceptable. I took the handoff on Aircraft X. Aircraft X checked in; requesting vectors for a practice ILS approach. I lost radar contact on Aircraft X and advised the pilot. I cleared Aircraft X to the initial approach fix for the ILS and instructed him to maintain 5;000 feet. Aircraft X was unable direct initial approach fix; so I re-cleared Aircraft X direct to the airport.Initially I was not concerned about providing non-radar separation to the off-route aircraft because I had no other IFR traffic. Essentially I was sterilizing his altitude from the last known position. Then I took a handoff on Aircraft Y. I descended Aircraft Y to 6;000 feet. I swapped between MOSAIC mode and ASR 8 to see if one would track Aircraft X better (even though MOSAIC mode would include the ASR 8 sensor). The supervisor left and put a Controller in Charge (CIC) in. The CIC was trying to find which sensor would follow the aircraft. At one point it seemed that the ASR-8 would be reliable enough to use; and I radar identified Aircraft X. At that point I had radar separation between Aircraft X and Aircraft Y. I descended Aircraft X from 5;000 feet to 3;000 feet and descended Aircraft Y from 6;000 feet to 2;500 feet. I turned Aircraft Y towards final and converging with Aircraft X.Then I lost radar contact on Aircraft X again. I notified the supervisor and Operation Manager (OM) of the radar loss and told Aircraft X to maintain 4;000 feet. I intended to re-establish some form of non-radar separation by means of vertical separation. Aircraft Y was still descending and I did not have confirmation of Aircraft X last reported altitude. I notified the supervisor and OM that since the two aircraft were converging and swapping altitudes that non-radar separation did not likely exists; and that I was unprepared and have not received sufficient training on providing non-radar approach control service to aircraft which were both off-route and in the case of Aircraft X could not navigate direct a fix in order to be established on-route prior to the navaid to which both were approaching. I requested an MOR to be filed for the loss of the ASR-8 and the probable loss of radar/non-radar separation between the aircraft. The OM refused and choose not to even look into the situation.In the process of swapping between the radar sensors Aircraft Y may have been below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude (MVA) for MOSAIC mode at some point but was always at or above the MVA for the ASR 8 sensor. I notified the OM of this as well.I recommend that the OM take equipment failures seriously; especially in cases of radar loss. I also recommend the OM take losses of separation seriously. It would also be beneficial to have a radar system that is reliable (I will admit that this type of occurrence happens much more often than I have time to report). However; as the ASR 8 sensor has continued to prove unreliable; MOSAIC mode does not always remedy the problem. As long as radar equipment issues persist; I would like to receive training on non-radar procedures for aircraft on the route structure; as well as off-route (including non-RNAV/GPS equipped aircraft).




Synopsis: A Controller lost radar contact with an aircraft. The Controller was not sure if they maintained required separation standards between this aircraft and another aircraft which was in radar coverage.