Narrative:

I was working the lanier high sector at R50 by myself. It was the end of a hard shift with inadequate staffing and very busy traffic. There were 2 full bays of traffic at my position; and the supervisor told me to set up the scope to take the ultrahigh sector baden; R15. I told him that the traffic was too heavy to safely combine the sectors. He told me to do it anyway. I told him it was doubly unsafe to attempt such a thing since I was far from being mentally fresh. He said; 'just do it!' at that time; I publicly announced before witnesses that the situation was unsafe and I was operating under the provisions of article 65 of the natca contract. About 10 mins after combing the sectors; there were so many aircraft all in close proximity to one another that it was impossible to separate the data blocks; and I had no idea who was where. 2 aircraft could have hit each other; and the only way I would have known would have been after the air cleared and 2 data blocks stopped tracking targets.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZTL CTLR CHRONICLES DISPUTE WITH SUPVR REGARDING THE COMBINATION OF POS DURING BUSY TFC VOLUME PERIOD.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE LANIER HIGH SECTOR AT R50 BY MYSELF. IT WAS THE END OF A HARD SHIFT WITH INADEQUATE STAFFING AND VERY BUSY TFC. THERE WERE 2 FULL BAYS OF TFC AT MY POS; AND THE SUPVR TOLD ME TO SET UP THE SCOPE TO TAKE THE ULTRAHIGH SECTOR BADEN; R15. I TOLD HIM THAT THE TFC WAS TOO HVY TO SAFELY COMBINE THE SECTORS. HE TOLD ME TO DO IT ANYWAY. I TOLD HIM IT WAS DOUBLY UNSAFE TO ATTEMPT SUCH A THING SINCE I WAS FAR FROM BEING MENTALLY FRESH. HE SAID; 'JUST DO IT!' AT THAT TIME; I PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED BEFORE WITNESSES THAT THE SITUATION WAS UNSAFE AND I WAS OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 65 OF THE NATCA CONTRACT. ABOUT 10 MINS AFTER COMBING THE SECTORS; THERE WERE SO MANY ACFT ALL IN CLOSE PROX TO ONE ANOTHER THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE THE DATA BLOCKS; AND I HAD NO IDEA WHO WAS WHERE. 2 ACFT COULD HAVE HIT EACH OTHER; AND THE ONLY WAY I WOULD HAVE KNOWN WOULD HAVE BEEN AFTER THE AIR CLRED AND 2 DATA BLOCKS STOPPED TRACKING TARGETS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.