FLT ASSIST TO UGA WITH FUEL EMER INTERRUPTED BY RADAR FAILURE.

Narrative

WHILE WORKING RTE TFC (ONE ACFT PRACTICE APCHS); A SINGLE ENG CESSNA 172 CALLED WITH A FUEL EMER. I COULD NOT SEE THE ACFT ON RADAR BECAUSE OF HIS LOW ALT. BUT ZMP LOCATED THE ACFT ABOUT 14 MI SE OF PENDER; NE. I GAVE THE ACFT A HDG TO THE ARPT AND WAS ABLE TO RADAR IDENT HIM A MIN OR TWO LATER. I ISSUED THE ACFT 2 MORE HDGS. WHEN THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 8 MI FROM THE ARPT. MY RADAR SCOPE AND EVERY OTHER ONE IN THE FACILITY WENT BLANK -- NO ARTS; NO PRIMARY; NOTHING. I WAS IMMEDIATELY ASSISTED BY A FELLOW CTLR WHO CONTACTED ARPT FACILITIES PERSONNEL. (THE ARPT FACILITIES PERSONNEL HAD BEEN CONDUCTING MAINT ON THE RADAR.) ZMP WAS ADVISED OF OUR OUTAGE AND CONTINUED TO PROVIDE POS INFO TO ME OF THE CESSNA. THE RADAR WAS RETURNED TO SVCS IN ABOUT 4 OR 5 MINS. THE ACFT LANDED SAFELY AND A SUPVR WAS NOTIFIED. I HAVE NEVER BEEN GIVEN AN EXPLANATION FOR THE FAILURE. I WAS VERY DISTURBED BY THIS INCIDENT; SOME FOLLOW UP SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE. IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR LUCK; THE COOPERATION OF THE ZMP CTLR; AND A FELLOW CTLR THE SIT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN MUCH WORSE.