2025-09 · NASA ASRS report 2288743
TPA TRACON Controller reported repeated frequency outages occur creating unsafe situations.
I was working my position and there were storms in the vicinity so aircraft had to [enter] the final box. I had one aircraft descending into VDF out of 5 thousand and I gave him direct to the field descending to 2 thousand. There was no response. I said the transmission again and no response. I asked another aircraft who was VFR and all I heard was static. I reached out to a third aircraft and no response. I switched from mains to standbys and tried again. No responses from any aircraft. One aircraft went back to the last frequency and the controller asked for a verbal request and a physical point out of the aircraft and I agreed. The aircraft cancelled his IFR into VDF a few miles out. This was a risky position to be in with because the aircraft was a few miles into the final box due to weather. We got a hold of everyone via guard and last frequencies and switched them to a back up. This issue has happened many times over the last few weeks and months and is unacceptable.Fix our equipment. We cannot do our jobs if our communication equipment is broken all the time.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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