restart error

[postgresql(at)stell ~]$ ps axuw | grep postmaster
502 11134 0.0 0.2 19292 3020 pts/5 S Sep22 0:00 /usr/local/pgsql/bin/postmaster -D /var/pgsql/data
502 21676 0.0 0.0 4788 656 pts/12 S+ 10:42 0:00 grep postmaster
[postgresql(at)stell ~]$ pg_ctl restart -D /var/pgsql/data
waiting for postmaster to shut down............................................................... failed
pg_ctl: postmaster does not shut down
[postgresql(at)stell ~]$

yet postmaster is gone:
[postgresql(at)stell ~]$ ps axuw | grep postmaster
502 21717 0.0 0.0 4640 644 pts/12 R+ 10:52 0:00 grep postmaster

server.log not updated...?
[postgresql(at)stell ~]$ ls -l /home/postgresql/server.log
-rw-rw-r-- 1 postgresql postgresql 2343 Aug 23 09:48 /home/postgresql/server.log

How can I figure out what the problem is?