The supervisor was advised by the tmu that a sector was predicted to exceed the operationally accept...

Attributes
ACN	339554
Time
Date	199606
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa tower : pit
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 8 controller radar : 7
ASRS Report	339554
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This morning at XX00 local I was working at ZOA sector 32 when the traffic began to build past what most would call 'moderate' into 'heavy.' before I realized it I had more data blocks on my scope than I had room to offset them. Aircraft were checking on frequency and making requests twice as fast as they could be answered. I had 1 king-air that was flying against the traffic flow that needed a descent clearance to land at stockton. I was forced to hold that aircraft above FL240 until approximately 15 mi from the airport. I later learned that the ZOA tmu called (via telephone) my supervisor to advise him that sector 32 was predicted to exceed the operationally acceptable limit of traffic and if there was anything that my supervisor wanted them to do. The answer was no. This failure to take decisive action (perhaps because of constant pressure from airlines to reduce ATC delays) led to a near out of control situation. It took every bit of capacity I had to keep the mental picture of my sector. Incidentally at XX15, and about 5 mins after the worst was over, I lost the use of my transmitters due to a still undetermined reason. Had this failure occurred at XX10 the consequences could've been tragic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE SUPVR WAS ADVISED BY THE TMU THAT A SECTOR WAS PREDICTED TO EXCEED THE OPERATIONALLY ACCEPTABLE LIMIT OF TFC. THE TMU ASKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THE SUPVR WANTED THEM TO DO. THE SUPVR ANSWERED NO.

Narrative: THIS MORNING AT XX00 LCL I WAS WORKING AT ZOA SECTOR 32 WHEN THE TFC BEGAN TO BUILD PAST WHAT MOST WOULD CALL 'MODERATE' INTO 'HVY.' BEFORE I REALIZED IT I HAD MORE DATA BLOCKS ON MY SCOPE THAN I HAD ROOM TO OFFSET THEM. ACFT WERE CHKING ON FREQ AND MAKING REQUESTS TWICE AS FAST AS THEY COULD BE ANSWERED. I HAD 1 KING-AIR THAT WAS FLYING AGAINST THE TFC FLOW THAT NEEDED A DSCNT CLRNC TO LAND AT STOCKTON. I WAS FORCED TO HOLD THAT ACFT ABOVE FL240 UNTIL APPROX 15 MI FROM THE ARPT. I LATER LEARNED THAT THE ZOA TMU CALLED (VIA TELEPHONE) MY SUPVR TO ADVISE HIM THAT SECTOR 32 WAS PREDICTED TO EXCEED THE OPERATIONALLY ACCEPTABLE LIMIT OF TFC AND IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT MY SUPVR WANTED THEM TO DO. THE ANSWER WAS NO. THIS FAILURE TO TAKE DECISIVE ACTION (PERHAPS BECAUSE OF CONSTANT PRESSURE FROM AIRLINES TO REDUCE ATC DELAYS) LED TO A NEAR OUT OF CTL SIT. IT TOOK EVERY BIT OF CAPACITY I HAD TO KEEP THE MENTAL PICTURE OF MY SECTOR. INCIDENTALLY AT XX15, AND ABOUT 5 MINS AFTER THE WORST WAS OVER, I LOST THE USE OF MY XMITTERS DUE TO A STILL UNDETERMINED REASON. HAD THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AT XX10 THE CONSEQUENCES COULD'VE BEEN TRAGIC.

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.

The supervisor was advised by the tmu that a sector was predicted to exceed the operationally acceptable limit of traffic. The tmu asked if there was anything the supervisor wanted them to do. The supervisor answered no.