Narrative:

Airport was operating under its deicing procedures. At approximately XA30 hours, ground control was called prior to engine start. The controller gave a 15 min delay for engine start. At approximately XA45 hours, engines were started, and ground control was contacted for taxi. At this time, the controller said that he had no recollection of my prior call and that I would have to wait another 40 min prior to taxi. The problem could have easily been handled by simply allowing me to be the next to taxi. Fortunately, the rain that was now falling was not freezing on the aircraft, thus necessitating a second deicing. At this time of night there are but 2 people in the tower at teb. One person handles clearance delivery and does the ATIS strip, the other person handles ground control functions, plus the expected start/taxi times during the deice procedure operation, on ground control 121.9, and all the tower functions of takeoff, landing, and handoffs from departure and arrival control on tower frequency 119.5. This is way too much for 1 individual to handle. In a 2 hour period there are no less than 25 arrs and 25 departures. Just handling the tower and ground control functions is plenty for 1 person. Throw in remembering the sequence for expected taxi times -- you just hit overload! Fortunately, no accident occurred, no near- miss. However, an extensive delay, and the possibility of expensive, additional deicing did result. Most small operators don't have huge profit margins with which to pay for multiple deicings prior to takeoff, thus more pressure is placed on these pilots to go for it, the result of which could be disastrous. All of this could be easily avoided by not placing all the work on 1 controller's shoulders. The individual handling the clrncs could step up and take care of writing down the call signs and assigning start times. A pad of paper, a pencil, and a little communication could correct the problems -- no great expense needed. Hopefully, it won't require a great tragedy to occur before needed changes are brought about.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND CTLR FORGETS FLT'S SEQUENCE CAUSING A FURTHER 40 MIN DELAY.

Narrative: ARPT WAS OPERATING UNDER ITS DEICING PROCS. AT APPROX XA30 HRS, GND CTL WAS CALLED PRIOR TO ENG START. THE CTLR GAVE A 15 MIN DELAY FOR ENG START. AT APPROX XA45 HRS, ENGS WERE STARTED, AND GND CTL WAS CONTACTED FOR TAXI. AT THIS TIME, THE CTLR SAID THAT HE HAD NO RECOLLECTION OF MY PRIOR CALL AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER 40 MIN PRIOR TO TAXI. THE PROB COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN HANDLED BY SIMPLY ALLOWING ME TO BE THE NEXT TO TAXI. FORTUNATELY, THE RAIN THAT WAS NOW FALLING WAS NOT FREEZING ON THE ACFT, THUS NECESSITATING A SECOND DEICING. AT THIS TIME OF NIGHT THERE ARE BUT 2 PEOPLE IN THE TWR AT TEB. ONE PERSON HANDLES CLRNC DELIVERY AND DOES THE ATIS STRIP, THE OTHER PERSON HANDLES GND CTL FUNCTIONS, PLUS THE EXPECTED START/TAXI TIMES DURING THE DEICE PROC OP, ON GND CTL 121.9, AND ALL THE TWR FUNCTIONS OF TKOF, LNDG, AND HDOFS FROM DEP AND ARR CTL ON TWR FREQ 119.5. THIS IS WAY TOO MUCH FOR 1 INDIVIDUAL TO HANDLE. IN A 2 HR PERIOD THERE ARE NO LESS THAN 25 ARRS AND 25 DEPS. JUST HANDLING THE TWR AND GND CTL FUNCTIONS IS PLENTY FOR 1 PERSON. THROW IN REMEMBERING THE SEQUENCE FOR EXPECTED TAXI TIMES -- YOU JUST HIT OVERLOAD! FORTUNATELY, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, NO NEAR- MISS. HOWEVER, AN EXTENSIVE DELAY, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPENSIVE, ADDITIONAL DEICING DID RESULT. MOST SMALL OPERATORS DON'T HAVE HUGE PROFIT MARGINS WITH WHICH TO PAY FOR MULTIPLE DEICINGS PRIOR TO TKOF, THUS MORE PRESSURE IS PLACED ON THESE PLTS TO GO FOR IT, THE RESULT OF WHICH COULD BE DISASTROUS. ALL OF THIS COULD BE EASILY AVOIDED BY NOT PLACING ALL THE WORK ON 1 CTLR'S SHOULDERS. THE INDIVIDUAL HANDLING THE CLRNCS COULD STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF WRITING DOWN THE CALL SIGNS AND ASSIGNING START TIMES. A PAD OF PAPER, A PENCIL, AND A LITTLE COM COULD CORRECT THE PROBS -- NO GREAT EXPENSE NEEDED. HOPEFULLY, IT WON'T REQUIRE A GREAT TRAGEDY TO OCCUR BEFORE NEEDED CHANGES ARE BROUGHT ABOUT.

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.