Narrative:

Air carrier large transport bos ape lck at FL310, time XX30Z. Transfer of communications not performed. Radar handoff nearly not performed. I see that a radar handoff will not be performed for air carrier large transport from the brecksville sector (51) to the ravenna sector (48). The reason it will not be performed is due to the radar controller being asleep. I am working the sector which is physically located directly next to the sleepy controller. I initiate a radar handoff by use of the '10K' feature. Air carrier large transport continues into next sector west/O communication transfer. Approximately 110 mi from destination, air carrier large transport requested lower altitude. His calls do not waken the controller. After 3 or so attempts, air carrier large transport finds the next frequency on his own, and gets a clearance for lower altitude. The controller working brecksville, along with 2 others on my crew, are particularly bad to work with during mid shifts, as they often fall asleep while at the sector. If they don't get their sleep there, they get it off position. Those of us who don't make a habit of sleeping during our shifts must work around them. Management (mid shift watch supervisors) rarely take any action when they see such behavior. When I approach my fellow crew members about their sleeping habits on position, they laugh it off. Working mid shifts are particularly rough to work, and often very boring. However, there is no excuse for a repeating habit of controllers falling asleep at the sectors, nor for supervisors looking the other way and not addressing this problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER OBSERVED CTLR AT NEXT SECTOR NOT ACCEPTING RADAR HANDOFF ON LGT DUE TO SLEEPING ON DUTY. THE LGT FLEW THROUGH THE SLEEPING CTLR'S AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ACR LGT BOS APE LCK AT FL310, TIME XX30Z. TRANSFER OF COMS NOT PERFORMED. RADAR HDOF NEARLY NOT PERFORMED. I SEE THAT A RADAR HDOF WILL NOT BE PERFORMED FOR ACR LGT FROM THE BRECKSVILLE SECTOR (51) TO THE RAVENNA SECTOR (48). THE REASON IT WILL NOT BE PERFORMED IS DUE TO THE RADAR CTLR BEING ASLEEP. I AM WORKING THE SECTOR WHICH IS PHYSICALLY LOCATED DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE SLEEPY CTLR. I INITIATE A RADAR HDOF BY USE OF THE '10K' FEATURE. ACR LGT CONTINUES INTO NEXT SECTOR W/O COM TRANSFER. APPROX 110 MI FROM DEST, ACR LGT REQUESTED LOWER ALT. HIS CALLS DO NOT WAKEN THE CTLR. AFTER 3 OR SO ATTEMPTS, ACR LGT FINDS THE NEXT FREQ ON HIS OWN, AND GETS A CLRNC FOR LOWER ALT. THE CTLR WORKING BRECKSVILLE, ALONG WITH 2 OTHERS ON MY CREW, ARE PARTICULARLY BAD TO WORK WITH DURING MID SHIFTS, AS THEY OFTEN FALL ASLEEP WHILE AT THE SECTOR. IF THEY DON'T GET THEIR SLEEP THERE, THEY GET IT OFF POS. THOSE OF US WHO DON'T MAKE A HABIT OF SLEEPING DURING OUR SHIFTS MUST WORK AROUND THEM. MGMNT (MID SHIFT WATCH SUPVRS) RARELY TAKE ANY ACTION WHEN THEY SEE SUCH BEHAVIOR. WHEN I APCH MY FELLOW CREW MEMBERS ABOUT THEIR SLEEPING HABITS ON POS, THEY LAUGH IT OFF. WORKING MID SHIFTS ARE PARTICULARLY ROUGH TO WORK, AND OFTEN VERY BORING. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR A REPEATING HABIT OF CTLRS FALLING ASLEEP AT THE SECTORS, NOR FOR SUPVRS LOOKING THE OTHER WAY AND NOT ADDRESSING THIS PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.