Narrative:

There has been an ongoing problem at ZLC regarding midshift staffing. We have been using 3 controllers to staff 4 sectors on 4 separate scopes. This causes many problems. Most evident is the diminished alertness of the controllers working 7 1/2 hours without a break or a rotation, compounded by the fact that we had worked 16 hours out of the last 24. The problem is compounded by the fact that when we are required to combine 2 sectors onto 2 scopes to be manned by 1 controller we must use the quick look function. The problem here is that when routine maintenance is done on the computer that a 'blink' will cause the quick look to drop of resulting in a loss of all data on a given radar scope. There is no warning or way to tell that the data has been dropped. This happened 3/sat/90 at XA35Z sector 19 at ZLC. The data block displayed on air carrier X was dropped off of the sector 20 scope. I was, at the time, looking at the sector 19 scope and didn't notice the data loss on sector 20. This resulted in air carrier X coming within 2 mins or 15 mi of ZMP airspace before I noticed the loss of data. Had I been tied up on sector 19 any longer an airspace deviation would have been unavoidable. If this understaffing situation continues, deviations or worse are inevitable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR COMPLAINS ABOUT MID SHIFT STAFFING AND CRITICAL DATA BEING DROPPED FROM THE RADAR SCOPE DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE.

Narrative: THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM AT ZLC REGARDING MIDSHIFT STAFFING. WE HAVE BEEN USING 3 CTLRS TO STAFF 4 SECTORS ON 4 SEPARATE SCOPES. THIS CAUSES MANY PROBLEMS. MOST EVIDENT IS THE DIMINISHED ALERTNESS OF THE CTLRS WORKING 7 1/2 HRS WITHOUT A BREAK OR A ROTATION, COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT WE HAD WORKED 16 HRS OUT OF THE LAST 24. THE PROBLEM IS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT WHEN WE ARE REQUIRED TO COMBINE 2 SECTORS ONTO 2 SCOPES TO BE MANNED BY 1 CTLR WE MUST USE THE QUICK LOOK FUNCTION. THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT WHEN ROUTINE MAINT IS DONE ON THE COMPUTER THAT A 'BLINK' WILL CAUSE THE QUICK LOOK TO DROP OF RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ALL DATA ON A GIVEN RADAR SCOPE. THERE IS NO WARNING OR WAY TO TELL THAT THE DATA HAS BEEN DROPPED. THIS HAPPENED 3/SAT/90 AT XA35Z SECTOR 19 AT ZLC. THE DATA BLOCK DISPLAYED ON ACR X WAS DROPPED OFF OF THE SECTOR 20 SCOPE. I WAS, AT THE TIME, LOOKING AT THE SECTOR 19 SCOPE AND DIDN'T NOTICE THE DATA LOSS ON SECTOR 20. THIS RESULTED IN ACR X COMING WITHIN 2 MINS OR 15 MI OF ZMP AIRSPACE BEFORE I NOTICED THE LOSS OF DATA. HAD I BEEN TIED UP ON SECTOR 19 ANY LONGER AN AIRSPACE DEV WOULD HAVE BEEN UNAVOIDABLE. IF THIS UNDERSTAFFING SIT CONTINUES, DEVS OR WORSE ARE INEVITABLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.