Inadequate controller staffing on the midnight shift between 0000 and 0600 hours.

Attributes
ACN	146254
Time
Date	199005
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iad
State Reference	VA
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 19
ASRS Report	146254
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Staffing between 0000-0600 EDT consists of 1 fpl radar controller and 1 tower (deviation, usually) controller to staff TRACON and tower. The radar controller is assigned additional duties as controller in charge (controller in charge). No provision is made for relief from position for physiological needs or to perform required collateral (controller in charge) duties away from the radar position. On 7/xx/89, this controller was involved in a fatal accident. I was unable to perform necessary notifications, and relief from the working position was not available. Followup of this accident recommended improved staffing on midshifts to correct the problems encountered on 7/X-8/X/89. To date, no upgrade in staffing has been accomplished. I feel that an unsafe condition exist when I must abandon my control position to perform typing/phone duties of controller in charge or for physiological needs. We need another fpl on the shift to provide relief for the tower and the TRACON. Until such staffing is provided, I will work the midshift under article 65 of the natca/FAA collective bargaining agreement, placing safety responsibility on the facility management.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INADEQUATE CTLR STAFFING ON THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT BETWEEN 0000 AND 0600 HOURS.

Narrative: STAFFING BTWN 0000-0600 EDT CONSISTS OF 1 FPL RADAR CTLR AND 1 TWR (DEV, USUALLY) CTLR TO STAFF TRACON AND TWR. THE RADAR CTLR IS ASSIGNED ADDITIONAL DUTIES AS CTLR IN CHARGE (CIC). NO PROVISION IS MADE FOR RELIEF FROM POS FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS OR TO PERFORM REQUIRED COLLATERAL (CIC) DUTIES AWAY FROM THE RADAR POS. ON 7/XX/89, THIS CTLR WAS INVOLVED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT. I WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM NECESSARY NOTIFICATIONS, AND RELIEF FROM THE WORKING POS WAS NOT AVAILABLE. FOLLOWUP OF THIS ACCIDENT RECOMMENDED IMPROVED STAFFING ON MIDSHIFTS TO CORRECT THE PROBS ENCOUNTERED ON 7/X-8/X/89. TO DATE, NO UPGRADE IN STAFFING HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. I FEEL THAT AN UNSAFE CONDITION EXIST WHEN I MUST ABANDON MY CTL POS TO PERFORM TYPING/PHONE DUTIES OF CIC OR FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS. WE NEED ANOTHER FPL ON THE SHIFT TO PROVIDE RELIEF FOR THE TWR AND THE TRACON. UNTIL SUCH STAFFING IS PROVIDED, I WILL WORK THE MIDSHIFT UNDER ARTICLE 65 OF THE NATCA/FAA COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, PLACING SAFETY RESPONSIBILITY ON THE FAC MGMNT.

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.