Narrative:

C130 was en route at 8000 ft level. C425 was departure climbing to 9000 ft. A handoff to me was accepted on the C130. C425 was climbing very slowly. I noticed the C425 at 7000 ft at the time the conflict alert went off. The aircraft involved were opposite direction, passing off each others right side. I issued a control instruction to the C425 to stop climb immediately and maintain 7000 ft. Pilot did not respond. On calling the pilot a 3RD time he responded. Pointed out the traffic to the C130 and he advised the traffic in sight. What caused the problem. A coordinator position should have been staffed. Short staffing has been an issue. There were 6 distrs involved in this time frame that took my attention away from monitoring traffic. These included landline questions, a mistag by another facility, a flight of 2 conflicting with each other, pilot missing correct squawk and pilot missing, questioning assigned altitude. Additionally I was tired, working on my day off so another controller could get leave, very busy day, 3RD time on this particular position which was busy all day. What could be done to prevent: staff the coordinator position. They would answer all landline calls and assist with routings and other miscellaneous tasks. Also, they are an extra set of eyes. This is a problem because management is trying to cut costs by not replacing personnel when they are out sick, that is they won't call in overtime.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Y90 CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR WITH ENRTE AND CLBING ACFT AT APPROX 8000 FT.

Narrative: C130 WAS ENRTE AT 8000 FT LEVEL. C425 WAS DEP CLBING TO 9000 FT. A HDOF TO ME WAS ACCEPTED ON THE C130. C425 WAS CLBING VERY SLOWLY. I NOTICED THE C425 AT 7000 FT AT THE TIME THE CONFLICT ALERT WENT OFF. THE ACFT INVOLVED WERE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, PASSING OFF EACH OTHERS R SIDE. I ISSUED A CTL INSTRUCTION TO THE C425 TO STOP CLB IMMEDIATELY AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT. PLT DID NOT RESPOND. ON CALLING THE PLT A 3RD TIME HE RESPONDED. POINTED OUT THE TFC TO THE C130 AND HE ADVISED THE TFC IN SIGHT. WHAT CAUSED THE PROB. A COORDINATOR POS SHOULD HAVE BEEN STAFFED. SHORT STAFFING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE. THERE WERE 6 DISTRS INVOLVED IN THIS TIME FRAME THAT TOOK MY ATTN AWAY FROM MONITORING TFC. THESE INCLUDED LANDLINE QUESTIONS, A MISTAG BY ANOTHER FACILITY, A FLT OF 2 CONFLICTING WITH EACH OTHER, PLT MISSING CORRECT SQUAWK AND PLT MISSING, QUESTIONING ASSIGNED ALT. ADDITIONALLY I WAS TIRED, WORKING ON MY DAY OFF SO ANOTHER CTLR COULD GET LEAVE, VERY BUSY DAY, 3RD TIME ON THIS PARTICULAR POS WHICH WAS BUSY ALL DAY. WHAT COULD BE DONE TO PREVENT: STAFF THE COORDINATOR POS. THEY WOULD ANSWER ALL LANDLINE CALLS AND ASSIST WITH ROUTINGS AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS TASKS. ALSO, THEY ARE AN EXTRA SET OF EYES. THIS IS A PROB BECAUSE MGMNT IS TRYING TO CUT COSTS BY NOT REPLACING PERSONNEL WHEN THEY ARE OUT SICK, THAT IS THEY WON'T CALL IN OVERTIME.

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.