Narrative:

Control tower was not staffed properly. Management decided not to use overtime to cover for shortfall. Sick calls were made to the facility management by employees per requirements well in advance of shift to be worked. Management decided not to call overtime due to money issues and this decision resulted in one certified professional controller working for several hours (ie, in excess of 4 hours on multiple position) alone. The one controller did not learn of the situation until the start of the affected shifts. The controller on feb/xa/99 worked heavy traffic volume without any relief/meal breaks. Filed uca and logged the event on FAA forms (ie, daily log). Also involved article 65 of the FAA/natca agreement. Because on mar/xc/99 the same thing happened, the controller closed the ATC tower for a 20 min relief break then invoked article 65 of the FAA/natca agreement and filed this NASA report. FAA management took no action at all except to disapprove overtime needed to ensure safety. Sick leave requests, overtime needed to cover for sick leave was denied. FAA management's preoccupation with money overrode the more important issue of a safe operation. This decision (both events) was incorrect and potentially disastrous. How much would the lawsuits be for an accident contributed to a fatigued controller on multiple position with heavy traffic for several hours? Use overtime for what it was intended for: to cover for a staffing shortage. Staff this facility properly, hold someone accountable for the decision to not staff during heavy VFR traffic days. Make the person denying overtime work the traffic alone on his ticket.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEF CTLR ARRIVES AT WORK TO FIND CTLR SICK CALLS HAVE LEFT THE TWR BELOW RECOMMENDED MINIMUM STAFFING GUIDELINES. ON 2 OCCASIONS, CTLR REQUIRED TO WORK BEYOND 2 HRS ON CTL POS WITHOUT RELIEF.

Narrative: CTL TWR WAS NOT STAFFED PROPERLY. MGMNT DECIDED NOT TO USE OVERTIME TO COVER FOR SHORTFALL. SICK CALLS WERE MADE TO THE FACILITY MGMNT BY EMPLOYEES PER REQUIREMENTS WELL IN ADVANCE OF SHIFT TO BE WORKED. MGMNT DECIDED NOT TO CALL OVERTIME DUE TO MONEY ISSUES AND THIS DECISION RESULTED IN ONE CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL CTLR WORKING FOR SEVERAL HRS (IE, IN EXCESS OF 4 HRS ON MULTIPLE POS) ALONE. THE ONE CTLR DID NOT LEARN OF THE SIT UNTIL THE START OF THE AFFECTED SHIFTS. THE CTLR ON FEB/XA/99 WORKED HVY TFC VOLUME WITHOUT ANY RELIEF/MEAL BREAKS. FILED UCA AND LOGGED THE EVENT ON FAA FORMS (IE, DAILY LOG). ALSO INVOLVED ARTICLE 65 OF THE FAA/NATCA AGREEMENT. BECAUSE ON MAR/XC/99 THE SAME THING HAPPENED, THE CTLR CLOSED THE ATC TWR FOR A 20 MIN RELIEF BREAK THEN INVOKED ARTICLE 65 OF THE FAA/NATCA AGREEMENT AND FILED THIS NASA RPT. FAA MGMNT TOOK NO ACTION AT ALL EXCEPT TO DISAPPROVE OVERTIME NEEDED TO ENSURE SAFETY. SICK LEAVE REQUESTS, OVERTIME NEEDED TO COVER FOR SICK LEAVE WAS DENIED. FAA MGMNT'S PREOCCUPATION WITH MONEY OVERRODE THE MORE IMPORTANT ISSUE OF A SAFE OP. THIS DECISION (BOTH EVENTS) WAS INCORRECT AND POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS. HOW MUCH WOULD THE LAWSUITS BE FOR AN ACCIDENT CONTRIBUTED TO A FATIGUED CTLR ON MULTIPLE POS WITH HVY TFC FOR SEVERAL HRS? USE OVERTIME FOR WHAT IT WAS INTENDED FOR: TO COVER FOR A STAFFING SHORTAGE. STAFF THIS FACILITY PROPERLY, HOLD SOMEONE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DECISION TO NOT STAFF DURING HVY VFR TFC DAYS. MAKE THE PERSON DENYING OVERTIME WORK THE TFC ALONE ON HIS TICKET.

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.