Tape error /dev/st0: Input/output error

[root@localhost root]# cat /proc/scsi/scsi
Attached devices:
Host: scsi0 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00
Vendor: MAXTOR Model: ATLAS15K_18SCA Rev: DTA0
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 03
Host: scsi0 Channel: 00 Id: 01 Lun: 00
Vendor: MAXTOR Model: ATLAS15K_18SCA Rev: DTA0
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 03
Host: scsi0 Channel: 00 Id: 02 Lun: 00
Vendor: MAXTOR Model: ATLAS15K_18SCA Rev: DTA0
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 03
Host: scsi0 Channel: 00 Id: 03 Lun: 00
Vendor: MAXTOR Model: ATLAS15K_18SCA Rev: DTA0
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 03
Host: scsi0 Channel: 00 Id: 06 Lun: 00
Vendor: PE/PV Model: 1x6 SCSI BP Rev: 1.0
Type: Processor ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Host: scsi1 Channel: 00 Id: 06 Lun: 00
Vendor: SEAGATE Model: DAT DAT72-052 Rev: A060
Type: Sequential-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 03
Host: scsi2 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00
Vendor: SAMSUNG Model: CDRW/DVD SN-324F Rev: U204
Type: CD-ROM ANSI SCSI revision: 02
[oracle10g@parnassus oracle10g]$

[root@localhost root]# mt -f /dev/st0 status
/dev/st0: Input/output error
[root@localhost root]#

[root@localhost root]# grep st0 /var/log/messages*
/var/log/messages:Jan 3 11:02:20 parnassus kernel: st0: Error 27010000 (sugg. bt 0x20, driver bt 0x7, host bt 0x1).
/var/log/messages:Jan 3 11:02:29 parnassus kernel: st0: Error 27010000 (sugg. bt 0x20, driver bt 0x7, host bt 0x1).
/var/log/messages:Jan 3 11:07:06 parnassus kernel: st0: Error 27010000 (sugg. bt 0x20, driver bt 0x7, host bt 0x1).
/var/log/messages:Jan 3 11:09:58 parnassus kernel: st0: Error 27010000 (sugg. bt 0x20, driver bt 0x7, host bt 0x1).
/var/log/messages:Jan 3 11:19:50 parnassus kernel: st0: Error 27010000 (sugg. bt 0x20, driver bt 0x7, host bt 0x1).

[oracle@localhost oracle]$ tar cvf /dev/st0 example
tar: /dev/st0: Cannot open: Input/output error
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now
[oracle@localhost oracle]$


Any idea? any advice would be appreciated.

Kim