Controller staffing shortage due to controller sick leave on swing shift.

Attributes
ACN	253102
Time
Date	199310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 7
ASRS Report	253102
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
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

Narrative:

I reported for duty for the swing shift and, upon reviewing the sign in the log for the shift, realized that 3 of the 7 controllers for the shift had called in sick. Upon questioning the supervisor I was told we would have to 'tough it out.' on a fri evening ny TRACON works more traffic than usual and to work this short on a evening shift is unsafe. Numerous times during the shift controllers had to go into holds and we ended up so short that supervisors were working position, leaving the sector without any general supervision. This lack of supervision is in direct violation of FAA orders and directives, but facility management is aware of the problem and continues to ignore the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR STAFFING SHORTAGE DUE TO CTLR SICK LEAVE ON SWING SHIFT.

Narrative: I RPTED FOR DUTY FOR THE SWING SHIFT AND, UPON REVIEWING THE SIGN IN THE LOG FOR THE SHIFT, REALIZED THAT 3 OF THE 7 CTLRS FOR THE SHIFT HAD CALLED IN SICK. UPON QUESTIONING THE SUPVR I WAS TOLD WE WOULD HAVE TO 'TOUGH IT OUT.' ON A FRI EVENING NY TRACON WORKS MORE TFC THAN USUAL AND TO WORK THIS SHORT ON A EVENING SHIFT IS UNSAFE. NUMEROUS TIMES DURING THE SHIFT CTLRS HAD TO GO INTO HOLDS AND WE ENDED UP SO SHORT THAT SUPVRS WERE WORKING POS, LEAVING THE SECTOR WITHOUT ANY GENERAL SUPERVISION. THIS LACK OF SUPERVISION IS IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF FAA ORDERS AND DIRECTIVES, BUT FACILITY MGMNT IS AWARE OF THE PROB AND CONTINUES TO IGNORE THE SIT.

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.