Narrative:

Arrived for shift at approximately XA05L. I was immediately put into position D-19 to work radar handoff position. Sectors 19 and 89 were combined, with very heavy traffic. The radar controller has only been certified for 2-3 months. At the time I plugged in, the sector had 20-25 airplanes. After I had been there about 20 mins, I turned to the supervisor and asked why the sectors were combined. I was told there wasn't sufficient staffing to split sector 89. The very heavy traffic continued. At about XA45 I noticed a different supervisor in the area. I again asked why the sectors were combined. I received the same answer with the additional comment that 2 people were coming in at XB00 and the sector would be opened then. At approximately XA50 monterrey center called with a handoff on a northbound (J13) B737 at FL390. We had a wbound B737 at FL390 overhead elp VORTAC. Seeing the traffic situation I issued a control instruction to the mty center controller to turn the northbound aircraft 20 degrees right and told him 'radar contact.' in fact, I told the mty controller twice to turn him right. After about 2 mins I could not see any turn in the northbound histories. I contacted the mty controller to see if he had turned the aircraft. At this time the mty controller informed me he had turned the aircraft left and he was on my frequency. The radar (ZAB) controller did his best to separate the planes. He descended the wbound plane to FL370 and turned him 30 degrees right. Conflict was not activated nor was oedp since the aircraft from mexico was on a different code than assigned by ZAB's computer. Bottom line: supervisors should listen to controllers when combining and decombining sectors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAB RADAR ASSOCIATE CTLR WITNESSED OPERROR AT FL390 DURING HVY TFC WITH RADAR POS COMBINED.

Narrative: ARRIVED FOR SHIFT AT APPROX XA05L. I WAS IMMEDIATELY PUT INTO POS D-19 TO WORK RADAR HDOF POS. SECTORS 19 AND 89 WERE COMBINED, WITH VERY HVY TFC. THE RADAR CTLR HAS ONLY BEEN CERTIFIED FOR 2-3 MONTHS. AT THE TIME I PLUGGED IN, THE SECTOR HAD 20-25 AIRPLANES. AFTER I HAD BEEN THERE ABOUT 20 MINS, I TURNED TO THE SUPVR AND ASKED WHY THE SECTORS WERE COMBINED. I WAS TOLD THERE WASN'T SUFFICIENT STAFFING TO SPLIT SECTOR 89. THE VERY HVY TFC CONTINUED. AT ABOUT XA45 I NOTICED A DIFFERENT SUPVR IN THE AREA. I AGAIN ASKED WHY THE SECTORS WERE COMBINED. I RECEIVED THE SAME ANSWER WITH THE ADDITIONAL COMMENT THAT 2 PEOPLE WERE COMING IN AT XB00 AND THE SECTOR WOULD BE OPENED THEN. AT APPROX XA50 MONTERREY CTR CALLED WITH A HDOF ON A NBOUND (J13) B737 AT FL390. WE HAD A WBOUND B737 AT FL390 OVERHEAD ELP VORTAC. SEEING THE TFC SIT I ISSUED A CTL INSTRUCTION TO THE MTY CTR CTLR TO TURN THE NBOUND ACFT 20 DEGS R AND TOLD HIM 'RADAR CONTACT.' IN FACT, I TOLD THE MTY CTLR TWICE TO TURN HIM R. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINS I COULD NOT SEE ANY TURN IN THE NBOUND HISTORIES. I CONTACTED THE MTY CTLR TO SEE IF HE HAD TURNED THE ACFT. AT THIS TIME THE MTY CTLR INFORMED ME HE HAD TURNED THE ACFT L AND HE WAS ON MY FREQ. THE RADAR (ZAB) CTLR DID HIS BEST TO SEPARATE THE PLANES. HE DSNDED THE WBOUND PLANE TO FL370 AND TURNED HIM 30 DEGS R. CONFLICT WAS NOT ACTIVATED NOR WAS OEDP SINCE THE ACFT FROM MEXICO WAS ON A DIFFERENT CODE THAN ASSIGNED BY ZAB'S COMPUTER. BOTTOM LINE: SUPVRS SHOULD LISTEN TO CTLRS WHEN COMBINING AND DECOMBINING SECTORS.

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.