ARTCC supervisor response to radar controller request.

Attributes
ACN	127832
Time
Date	198911
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : grr
State Reference	MI
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	127832
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

I was working the pmm sector with many inbnds to chicago's O'hare airport. The chicago arrs are descended to FL200 and handed off to the kubbs sector which feeds the aircraft to the O'hare TRACON. Thunderstorms had impacted chicago resulting in heavy holding for all chicago bound aircraft. The standard holding pattern in my airspace is at the pullman VOR (pmm). I held there for about 20 mins and then the aircraft started voicing their concern about the thunderstorms moving northeast into the area they were holding at. I quickly moved my holding stack to the grr VOR (approximately 35 mi northeast of pmm). This impacted the sector to my north since the grr VOR is used to funnel the detroit inbnds from the west. The WX was obviously going to impact the grr VOR! When I called the supervisor in charge to explain to him that he would need to find another area for my aircraft should my last clear holding area become WX impacted. His response was to do nothing since it was not needed yet! Basically, wait until the WX moves in, then call me. From a safety point of view the contingency plan should have been in place so that a safe expeditious and orderly exodus from the WX impacted area was possible!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC SUPVR RESPONSE TO RADAR CTLR REQUEST.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE PMM SECTOR WITH MANY INBNDS TO CHICAGO'S O'HARE ARPT. THE CHICAGO ARRS ARE DESCENDED TO FL200 AND HANDED OFF TO THE KUBBS SECTOR WHICH FEEDS THE ACFT TO THE O'HARE TRACON. TSTMS HAD IMPACTED CHICAGO RESULTING IN HEAVY HOLDING FOR ALL CHICAGO BOUND ACFT. THE STANDARD HOLDING PATTERN IN MY AIRSPACE IS AT THE PULLMAN VOR (PMM). I HELD THERE FOR ABOUT 20 MINS AND THEN THE ACFT STARTED VOICING THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE TSTMS MOVING NE INTO THE AREA THEY WERE HOLDING AT. I QUICKLY MOVED MY HOLDING STACK TO THE GRR VOR (APPROX 35 MI NE OF PMM). THIS IMPACTED THE SECTOR TO MY N SINCE THE GRR VOR IS USED TO FUNNEL THE DETROIT INBNDS FROM THE W. THE WX WAS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO IMPACT THE GRR VOR! WHEN I CALLED THE SUPVR IN CHARGE TO EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT HE WOULD NEED TO FIND ANOTHER AREA FOR MY ACFT SHOULD MY LAST CLEAR HOLDING AREA BECOME WX IMPACTED. HIS RESPONSE WAS TO DO NOTHING SINCE IT WAS NOT NEEDED YET! BASICALLY, WAIT UNTIL THE WX MOVES IN, THEN CALL ME. FROM A SAFETY POINT OF VIEW THE CONTINGENCY PLAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN PLACE SO THAT A SAFE EXPEDITIOUS AND ORDERLY EXODUS FROM THE WX IMPACTED AREA WAS POSSIBLE!

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.