Narrative:

I was assigned a swing-shift. The next morning I was assigned an early day shift. After I checked the equipment I opened the facility. I was then required to work the approach control for over 3 hours west/O a break. The tri-cities approach covers an area of approximately 5000 square mi from the surface to 8000' MSL. It has 5 airports with INS approachs. Although the traffic density on this particular morning was not great, monitoring the airspace does create fatigue. Not only did the fatigue factor effect the quality of my performance, I also had no way to take care of any physiological needs, which was equally distracting. I feel this has the potential to create an unsafe situation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter experience: 3 yrs radar, 3 yrs non-radar. Reporter stated traffic at the facility on sat mornings is very lights. The tower has BRITE radar and the tower controller is radar qualified. On this day, the controller scheduled to work at 0700 took sick leave. The reporter did not make any effort to call anyone for overtime. The situation is better now because there are more qualified controllers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR ON POSITION FOR 3 HOURS WITHOUT RELIEF BREAK.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED A SWING-SHIFT. THE NEXT MORNING I WAS ASSIGNED AN EARLY DAY SHIFT. AFTER I CHKED THE EQUIP I OPENED THE FAC. I WAS THEN REQUIRED TO WORK THE APCH CTL FOR OVER 3 HRS W/O A BREAK. THE TRI-CITIES APCH COVERS AN AREA OF APPROX 5000 SQUARE MI FROM THE SURFACE TO 8000' MSL. IT HAS 5 ARPTS WITH INS APCHS. ALTHOUGH THE TFC DENSITY ON THIS PARTICULAR MORNING WAS NOT GREAT, MONITORING THE AIRSPACE DOES CREATE FATIGUE. NOT ONLY DID THE FATIGUE FACTOR EFFECT THE QUALITY OF MY PERFORMANCE, I ALSO HAD NO WAY TO TAKE CARE OF ANY PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS, WHICH WAS EQUALLY DISTRACTING. I FEEL THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE AN UNSAFE SITUATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR EXPERIENCE: 3 YRS RADAR, 3 YRS NON-RADAR. RPTR STATED TFC AT THE FAC ON SAT MORNINGS IS VERY LIGHTS. THE TWR HAS BRITE RADAR AND THE TWR CTLR IS RADAR QUALIFIED. ON THIS DAY, THE CTLR SCHEDULED TO WORK AT 0700 TOOK SICK LEAVE. THE RPTR DID NOT MAKE ANY EFFORT TO CALL ANYONE FOR OVERTIME. THE SITUATION IS BETTER NOW BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE QUALIFIED CTLRS.

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.