Lac of controller staffing. Lack of controller supervision.

Attributes
ACN	241833
Time
Date	199305
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : btr
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	241833
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure 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	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Because of staffing shortages supervisors are working operational position while also providing general supervision to the operations of the entire sector. The islip area at ny TRACON is made up of 8 operational radar position, of which normally 6 are staffed. Because of a lack of personnel and money, supervisors who are supposed to be providing general supervision to the entire area are instead working a radar or other non control position. This in effect creates a ship without a captain. When other area supervisors come to the sector to coordinate events out of the ordinary there is no one in charge, leading to confusion and poor coordination. This situation is unsafe and is against FAA policy. Management closes their eyes to the situation because in order to correct the situation they would have to make it known to others outside the building, and are afraid this would damage their chance at a promotion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LAC OF CTLR STAFFING. LACK OF CTLR SUPERVISION.

Narrative: BECAUSE OF STAFFING SHORTAGES SUPVRS ARE WORKING OPERATIONAL POS WHILE ALSO PROVIDING GENERAL SUPERVISION TO THE OPS OF THE ENTIRE SECTOR. THE ISLIP AREA AT NY TRACON IS MADE UP OF 8 OPERATIONAL RADAR POS, OF WHICH NORMALLY 6 ARE STAFFED. BECAUSE OF A LACK OF PERSONNEL AND MONEY, SUPVRS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROVIDING GENERAL SUPERVISION TO THE ENTIRE AREA ARE INSTEAD WORKING A RADAR OR OTHER NON CTL POS. THIS IN EFFECT CREATES A SHIP WITHOUT A CAPT. WHEN OTHER AREA SUPVRS COME TO THE SECTOR TO COORDINATE EVENTS OUT OF THE ORDINARY THERE IS NO ONE IN CHARGE, LEADING TO CONFUSION AND POOR COORD. THIS SIT IS UNSAFE AND IS AGAINST FAA POLICY. MGMNT CLOSES THEIR EYES TO THE SIT BECAUSE IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE SIT THEY WOULD HAVE TO MAKE IT KNOWN TO OTHERS OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, AND ARE AFRAID THIS WOULD DAMAGE THEIR CHANCE AT A PROMOTION.

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.