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ZDC associate radar controller expresses concerns over facility staffing during moderate and better traffic conditions.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 508075 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200104 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mrb.airport |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl single value : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc tower : dfw.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Jetstream 41 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Aero Commander 112 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : handoff position |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 32 controller time certified in position1 : 31 |
| ASRS Report | 508075 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 14400 vertical : 900 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : zdc.artcc |
Narrative:
2 en route sectors were combined (R1 and R15). These 2 sectors encompass a lot of airspace. Radar man was busy in western part of sector. Error happened in eastern part of sector. 7 aircraft in western area -- 2 aircraft in eastern area. I was busy sequencing strips, because it had been a 1-MAN sector and I arrived to help, but things were already busy and strips out of order and not caught up. Error happened 4 mins after I arrived and was not aware of radar situation yet. Because of short staffing, we often combine sectors and do not split them apart soon enough when they get busy. This is commonplace practice to combine sectors and use only 1 radar controller to work it. Some controllers think it is a sign of weakness to ask for help or to split the sectors apart, therefore, they overextend their operation and something happens that shouldn't. ZDC's many operrors will surely continue, because of the staffing issues and the attitude this generates among the controller work force. Hopefully, your group has seen this trend and can relay any facts/trends to the FAA/NTSB.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZDC ASSOCIATE RADAR CTLR EXPRESSES CONCERNS OVER FACILITY STAFFING DURING MODERATE AND BETTER TFC CONDITIONS.
Narrative: 2 ENRTE SECTORS WERE COMBINED (R1 AND R15). THESE 2 SECTORS ENCOMPASS A LOT OF AIRSPACE. RADAR MAN WAS BUSY IN WESTERN PART OF SECTOR. ERROR HAPPENED IN EASTERN PART OF SECTOR. 7 ACFT IN WESTERN AREA -- 2 ACFT IN EASTERN AREA. I WAS BUSY SEQUENCING STRIPS, BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN A 1-MAN SECTOR AND I ARRIVED TO HELP, BUT THINGS WERE ALREADY BUSY AND STRIPS OUT OF ORDER AND NOT CAUGHT UP. ERROR HAPPENED 4 MINS AFTER I ARRIVED AND WAS NOT AWARE OF RADAR SIT YET. BECAUSE OF SHORT STAFFING, WE OFTEN COMBINE SECTORS AND DO NOT SPLIT THEM APART SOON ENOUGH WHEN THEY GET BUSY. THIS IS COMMONPLACE PRACTICE TO COMBINE SECTORS AND USE ONLY 1 RADAR CTLR TO WORK IT. SOME CTLRS THINK IT IS A SIGN OF WEAKNESS TO ASK FOR HELP OR TO SPLIT THE SECTORS APART, THEREFORE, THEY OVEREXTEND THEIR OP AND SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT SHOULDN'T. ZDC'S MANY OPERRORS WILL SURELY CONTINUE, BECAUSE OF THE STAFFING ISSUES AND THE ATTITUDE THIS GENERATES AMONG THE CTLR WORK FORCE. HOPEFULLY, YOUR GROUP HAS SEEN THIS TREND AND CAN RELAY ANY FACTS/TRENDS TO THE FAA/NTSB.
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.