Narrative:

I was working ZMA da/19 for approximately 45 mins prior to assuming control of ZMA RD1/RD19. Traffic was moderate with building WX increasing the complexity of the sector. The most notable WX was in and around zfp. Aircraft Y checked on and was being step-climbed for west to east crossing traffic. Aircraft X checked on and appeared to be deviating west of the WX around zfp with no knowledge of where the aircraft would join back on course. Aircraft Y was cleared to climb to FL370 once clear of crossing traffic. Aircraft X was cleared direct ilm to stay west of aircraft Z and aircraft Y. Due to traffic congestion and data block overlap, I was unable to observe the overtake. Conflict alert activated and both aircraft were turned, but separation was already lost. Due to deviation requests, frequency congestion was high and additional attention was being demanded by all aircraft. An upgrade to our equipment (bcc-23) had inadvertently set the display at 175 mi scale which added to the data block congestion and was not observed by me until just moments before the operational error. Optimal range for ZMA R1/R19 is 150 mi. I was in the process of resetting the display when the error occurred. The conflict alert, which activated after the error occurred, was of no assistance. The 'oalt' for sector 1/19 is 18 airplanes. I was working 19 airplanes alone with no d-side, no a-side, and no personnel available until the next shift was scheduled to arrive due to an ongoing staffing shortage. In my opinion, the operational error occurred due to serious staff shortages and a recent equipment change accompanied by tumultuous WX impacting the sector.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZMA ARTCC RADAR CTLR, WORKING VERY BUSY COMBINED POS AND POSSIBLY BECAUSE REDUCED STAFFING, HAS AN OPERROR OCCUR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING ZMA DA/19 FOR APPROX 45 MINS PRIOR TO ASSUMING CTL OF ZMA RD1/RD19. TFC WAS MODERATE WITH BUILDING WX INCREASING THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SECTOR. THE MOST NOTABLE WX WAS IN AND AROUND ZFP. ACFT Y CHKED ON AND WAS BEING STEP-CLBED FOR W TO E XING TFC. ACFT X CHKED ON AND APPEARED TO BE DEVIATING W OF THE WX AROUND ZFP WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF WHERE THE ACFT WOULD JOIN BACK ON COURSE. ACFT Y WAS CLRED TO CLB TO FL370 ONCE CLR OF XING TFC. ACFT X WAS CLRED DIRECT ILM TO STAY W OF ACFT Z AND ACFT Y. DUE TO TFC CONGESTION AND DATA BLOCK OVERLAP, I WAS UNABLE TO OBSERVE THE OVERTAKE. CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED AND BOTH ACFT WERE TURNED, BUT SEPARATION WAS ALREADY LOST. DUE TO DEV REQUESTS, FREQ CONGESTION WAS HIGH AND ADDITIONAL ATTN WAS BEING DEMANDED BY ALL ACFT. AN UPGRADE TO OUR EQUIP (BCC-23) HAD INADVERTENTLY SET THE DISPLAY AT 175 MI SCALE WHICH ADDED TO THE DATA BLOCK CONGESTION AND WAS NOT OBSERVED BY ME UNTIL JUST MOMENTS BEFORE THE OPERROR. OPTIMAL RANGE FOR ZMA R1/R19 IS 150 MI. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF RESETTING THE DISPLAY WHEN THE ERROR OCCURRED. THE CONFLICT ALERT, WHICH ACTIVATED AFTER THE ERROR OCCURRED, WAS OF NO ASSISTANCE. THE 'OALT' FOR SECTOR 1/19 IS 18 AIRPLANES. I WAS WORKING 19 AIRPLANES ALONE WITH NO D-SIDE, NO A-SIDE, AND NO PERSONNEL AVAILABLE UNTIL THE NEXT SHIFT WAS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE DUE TO AN ONGOING STAFFING SHORTAGE. IN MY OPINION, THE OPERROR OCCURRED DUE TO SERIOUS STAFF SHORTAGES AND A RECENT EQUIP CHANGE ACCOMPANIED BY TUMULTUOUS WX IMPACTING THE SECTOR.

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.