ARTCC radar controller, assigned controller in charge duties, concerned with facility staffing after...

Attributes
ACN	411328
Time
Date	199808
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zfw
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : private
Experience	controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 8 flight time total : 115
ASRS Report	411328
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was working as a controller in charge, while a supervisor was getting currency time, of the glen rose area. At XG57, the supervisor was relieved from the control position and assumed the desk. At that time the supervisor advised me that he was assigning me to take a break, as I was to be the sole controller certified to work 3 combined sectors from XH30 till XI30. This situation was known to the supervisor at XA30, however no attempt to secure additional staffing was made. Thunderstorms, while not evident in the immediate area, had been active all day, flow restrs were numerous, and aircraft were making more than the normal number of requests due to turbulence. This situation was unsafe. In any situation on the sector, there was no available help, period. This situation is indicative of the ongoing complete lack of concern about safety in lieu of saving overtime money at ZFW. Management is willing to risk catastrophe in exchange for saving 2 hours of overtime.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR, ASSIGNED CIC DUTIES, CONCERNED WITH FACILITY STAFFING AFTER SUPVR FINISHES TIME ON POS AND REASSUMES AREA SUPVR IN CHARGE POS. CTLR IS ASSIGNED TO WORK COMBINED POS FOR 1 HR PRIOR TO NEXT SHIFT RPTING FOR DUTY.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING AS A CIC, WHILE A SUPVR WAS GETTING CURRENCY TIME, OF THE GLEN ROSE AREA. AT XG57, THE SUPVR WAS RELIEVED FROM THE CTL POS AND ASSUMED THE DESK. AT THAT TIME THE SUPVR ADVISED ME THAT HE WAS ASSIGNING ME TO TAKE A BREAK, AS I WAS TO BE THE SOLE CTLR CERTIFIED TO WORK 3 COMBINED SECTORS FROM XH30 TILL XI30. THIS SIT WAS KNOWN TO THE SUPVR AT XA30, HOWEVER NO ATTEMPT TO SECURE ADDITIONAL STAFFING WAS MADE. TSTMS, WHILE NOT EVIDENT IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, HAD BEEN ACTIVE ALL DAY, FLOW RESTRS WERE NUMEROUS, AND ACFT WERE MAKING MORE THAN THE NORMAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS DUE TO TURB. THIS SIT WAS UNSAFE. IN ANY SIT ON THE SECTOR, THERE WAS NO AVAILABLE HELP, PERIOD. THIS SIT IS INDICATIVE OF THE ONGOING COMPLETE LACK OF CONCERN ABOUT SAFETY IN LIEU OF SAVING OVERTIME MONEY AT ZFW. MGMNT IS WILLING TO RISK CATASTROPHE IN EXCHANGE FOR SAVING 2 HRS OF OVERTIME.

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.

ARTCC radar controller, assigned controller in charge duties, concerned with facility staffing after supervisor finishes time on position and reassumes area supervisor in charge position. Controller is assigned to work combined position for 1 hour prior to next shift reporting for duty.