Narrative:

I was 2 hours and 40 mins into an unusually complex session of local control combined with approach control. Staffing was inadequate. The airport was very congested due to WX, center restrs and ground stops. ILS runway 31C was in use, however we were working from the wrong side of the cabin at the local controller #2 or ILS runway 4R side of the cabin attendant. I was writing my own inbound strips. It was night. Aircraft #1 was holding in position and aircraft #2 was cleared to land. The frequency was congested with many pilot questions. The required separation between aircraft #1 and aircraft #2 was not going to be achieved, so I sent aircraft #2 around and coordinated with C90 TRACON. I then cleared aircraft #1 for takeoff. I believe proper staffing would have prevented this situation. The aircraft on final was sent around after crossing over the fence of the airport boundary and on a go around, passed over holding aircraft by about 200 ft. I would like to give reasons why this event could have been prevented. I was working on the wrong side of the cabin attendant which goes against SOP. We were not trained to work runway 31C from runway 4R side of cabin attendant. Supervisor's decision to go against the SOP. Supervisor refused to give controller a break -- violation of FAA/natca agreement. Supervisor refused to get help for controller on getting inbound strips after 3 requests. Supervisor ordered controller not to switch non essential aircraft calls to ground control, thereby compounding workload on local controller. Supervisor put extra people on other position due to complexity, but not on local control. No spotter as on ground and clearance delivery.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MDW CTLR CONCERNED WITH SUPVR CTL POS MGMNT FEELING GAR WAS CAUSED BY IMPROPER CTLR STAFFING.

Narrative: I WAS 2 HRS AND 40 MINS INTO AN UNUSUALLY COMPLEX SESSION OF LCL CTL COMBINED WITH APCH CTL. STAFFING WAS INADEQUATE. THE ARPT WAS VERY CONGESTED DUE TO WX, CTR RESTRS AND GND STOPS. ILS RWY 31C WAS IN USE, HOWEVER WE WERE WORKING FROM THE WRONG SIDE OF THE CABIN AT THE LCL CTLR #2 OR ILS RWY 4R SIDE OF THE CAB. I WAS WRITING MY OWN INBOUND STRIPS. IT WAS NIGHT. ACFT #1 WAS HOLDING IN POS AND ACFT #2 WAS CLRED TO LAND. THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED WITH MANY PLT QUESTIONS. THE REQUIRED SEPARATION BTWN ACFT #1 AND ACFT #2 WAS NOT GOING TO BE ACHIEVED, SO I SENT ACFT #2 AROUND AND COORDINATED WITH C90 TRACON. I THEN CLRED ACFT #1 FOR TKOF. I BELIEVE PROPER STAFFING WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS SIT. THE ACFT ON FINAL WAS SENT AROUND AFTER XING OVER THE FENCE OF THE ARPT BOUNDARY AND ON A GAR, PASSED OVER HOLDING ACFT BY ABOUT 200 FT. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE REASONS WHY THIS EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. I WAS WORKING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE CAB WHICH GOES AGAINST SOP. WE WERE NOT TRAINED TO WORK RWY 31C FROM RWY 4R SIDE OF CAB. SUPVR'S DECISION TO GO AGAINST THE SOP. SUPVR REFUSED TO GIVE CTLR A BREAK -- VIOLATION OF FAA/NATCA AGREEMENT. SUPVR REFUSED TO GET HELP FOR CTLR ON GETTING INBOUND STRIPS AFTER 3 REQUESTS. SUPVR ORDERED CTLR NOT TO SWITCH NON ESSENTIAL ACFT CALLS TO GND CTL, THEREBY COMPOUNDING WORKLOAD ON LCL CTLR. SUPVR PUT EXTRA PEOPLE ON OTHER POS DUE TO COMPLEXITY, BUT NOT ON LCL CTL. NO SPOTTER AS ON GND AND CLRNC DELIVERY.

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.