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Approach controller working a heavy traffic session fails to issue traffic to a VFR aircraft in a timely manner due to distrs from a supervisor.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 687719 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200602 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : pgy.vortac |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sct.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sct.tracon |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : military controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 12 controller radar : 30 controller time certified in position1 : 21 |
| ASRS Report | 687719 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Facility ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Facility |
Narrative:
I was working a very busy session on a very complex position; working 4 finals at once. This was during the last hour of my 5TH day. I was quite tired and hoarse from a heavy day of traffic. Everything was going very well; however. That is; until supervisor came up behind me and started to harass me. He proceeded to grill me about traffic; asking many questions; disrupting my work and greatly upsetting me. While trying to work busy traffic and answering his questions; diverting my attention away from the scope; I did not observe that one of my airplanes was in dangerous proximity to a VFR aircraft. The conflict alert sounded and my associate pointed to the conflict. I immediately issued a traffic alert. This alert was not given in a timely manner because of this distracting situation. As a conscientious controller with 30 yrs experience; I was greatly distressed by this situation. To me this was way too close. This is one I will lose sleep over for a long time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: APCH CTLR WORKING A HVY TFC SESSION FAILS TO ISSUE TFC TO A VFR ACFT IN A TIMELY MANNER DUE TO DISTRS FROM A SUPVR.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING A VERY BUSY SESSION ON A VERY COMPLEX POS; WORKING 4 FINALS AT ONCE. THIS WAS DURING THE LAST HR OF MY 5TH DAY. I WAS QUITE TIRED AND HOARSE FROM A HVY DAY OF TFC. EVERYTHING WAS GOING VERY WELL; HOWEVER. THAT IS; UNTIL SUPVR CAME UP BEHIND ME AND STARTED TO HARASS ME. HE PROCEEDED TO GRILL ME ABOUT TFC; ASKING MANY QUESTIONS; DISRUPTING MY WORK AND GREATLY UPSETTING ME. WHILE TRYING TO WORK BUSY TFC AND ANSWERING HIS QUESTIONS; DIVERTING MY ATTN AWAY FROM THE SCOPE; I DID NOT OBSERVE THAT ONE OF MY AIRPLANES WAS IN DANGEROUS PROX TO A VFR ACFT. THE CONFLICT ALERT SOUNDED AND MY ASSOCIATE POINTED TO THE CONFLICT. I IMMEDIATELY ISSUED A TFC ALERT. THIS ALERT WAS NOT GIVEN IN A TIMELY MANNER BECAUSE OF THIS DISTRACTING SITUATION. AS A CONSCIENTIOUS CTLR WITH 30 YRS EXPERIENCE; I WAS GREATLY DISTRESSED BY THIS SITUATION. TO ME THIS WAS WAY TOO CLOSE. THIS IS ONE I WILL LOSE SLEEP OVER FOR A LONG TIME.
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.