TRACON controller was working several position combined and needed some help due to WX and traffic. ...

Attributes
ACN	376143
Time
Date	199708
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mht
State Reference	NH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mht
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : private
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 15 flight time total : 150
ASRS Report	376143
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

While working arrival west/north/south position at mht approach control, thunderstorm, rain, fog and windshear moved across my control area. This WX caused numerous aircraft to divert and some to land at mht which was not the aircraft's primary landing airport. The complexity was so great that I asked the supervisor for a data controller (flight data controller) so as to assist me with the rertes and diverting aircraft. My request was denied because the supervisor stated that she had no available controller to assist me. Team X at mht approach needs more fpl controllers. When traffic builds such as in this situation, there is not any available controllers to assist the controller in need. No overtime was called in to assist team X also. This situation is a safety risk to the flying public and to controllers. We do not need the added stress and workload. The flying public deserves fresh and the correct amount of controllers to assist them in a difficult situation, such as with this case. It appears that the FAA is only concerned after the fact (such as with a crash), why not correct the situation before the crash occurs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON CTLR WAS WORKING SEVERAL POS COMBINED AND NEEDED SOME HELP DUE TO WX AND TFC. SUPVR CTLR WAS ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE AND SAID THERE WAS NO ONE AVAILABLE AND THAT THERE WAS NO OVERTIME AUTH. RPTR SAYS HIS TEAM IS ALWAYS SHORT OF CTLRS AND THIS CREATES STRESS AND WORKLOAD PROBS.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING ARR W/N/S POS AT MHT APCH CTL, TSTM, RAIN, FOG AND WINDSHEAR MOVED ACROSS MY CTL AREA. THIS WX CAUSED NUMEROUS ACFT TO DIVERT AND SOME TO LAND AT MHT WHICH WAS NOT THE ACFT'S PRIMARY LNDG ARPT. THE COMPLEXITY WAS SO GREAT THAT I ASKED THE SUPVR FOR A DATA CTLR (FLT DATA CTLR) SO AS TO ASSIST ME WITH THE RERTES AND DIVERTING ACFT. MY REQUEST WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE SUPVR STATED THAT SHE HAD NO AVAILABLE CTLR TO ASSIST ME. TEAM X AT MHT APCH NEEDS MORE FPL CTLRS. WHEN TFC BUILDS SUCH AS IN THIS SIT, THERE IS NOT ANY AVAILABLE CTLRS TO ASSIST THE CTLR IN NEED. NO OVERTIME WAS CALLED IN TO ASSIST TEAM X ALSO. THIS SIT IS A SAFETY RISK TO THE FLYING PUBLIC AND TO CTLRS. WE DO NOT NEED THE ADDED STRESS AND WORKLOAD. THE FLYING PUBLIC DESERVES FRESH AND THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF CTLRS TO ASSIST THEM IN A DIFFICULT SIT, SUCH AS WITH THIS CASE. IT APPEARS THAT THE FAA IS ONLY CONCERNED AFTER THE FACT (SUCH AS WITH A CRASH), WHY NOT CORRECT THE SIT BEFORE THE CRASH OCCURS.

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.