Mem TRACON controller described incident during heavy traffic when supervisor denied request to spli...

Narrative:

During busy arrival session with airspace that handles olv traffic combined to my position; I was getting overloaded with traffic and coordination requirements. Supervisor was not paying attention to the traffic situation and told a returning controller (from break) to relieve me without checking the traffic scenario. I told relieving controller that I needed the olv runway 27 final airspace split off because I had too much traffic to be able to answer olv tower landline coordination calls. Relieving controller advised supervisor of my request and; without checking; denied the split. Relieving controller could not be given the position for some time and made coordination calls to olv before beginning position relief briefing. I had to stay well past giving the position up to make coords and ensure relieving controller had a good handle on the traffic. This was not the first time this supervisor has disregarded such input from on position controllers and service degradation has resulted until other controllers stepped up to help despite this supervisor's bad decisions and direction. It is only a matter of time before an overloaded controller; who can't get requested help from this supervisor. Has an operational error or worse. This is unacceptable; unprofessional behavior by management.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM TRACON CTLR DESCRIBED INCIDENT DURING HVY TFC WHEN SUPVR DENIED REQUEST TO SPLIT POSITION.

Narrative: DURING BUSY ARR SESSION WITH AIRSPACE THAT HANDLES OLV TFC COMBINED TO MY POS; I WAS GETTING OVERLOADED WITH TFC AND COORD REQUIREMENTS. SUPVR WAS NOT PAYING ATTN TO THE TFC SITUATION AND TOLD A RETURNING CTLR (FROM BREAK) TO RELIEVE ME WITHOUT CHKING THE TFC SCENARIO. I TOLD RELIEVING CTLR THAT I NEEDED THE OLV RWY 27 FINAL AIRSPACE SPLIT OFF BECAUSE I HAD TOO MUCH TFC TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER OLV TWR LANDLINE COORD CALLS. RELIEVING CTLR ADVISED SUPVR OF MY REQUEST AND; WITHOUT CHKING; DENIED THE SPLIT. RELIEVING CTLR COULD NOT BE GIVEN THE POS FOR SOME TIME AND MADE COORD CALLS TO OLV BEFORE BEGINNING POS RELIEF BRIEFING. I HAD TO STAY WELL PAST GIVING THE POS UP TO MAKE COORDS AND ENSURE RELIEVING CTLR HAD A GOOD HANDLE ON THE TFC. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS SUPVR HAS DISREGARDED SUCH INPUT FROM ON POS CTLRS AND SVC DEGRADATION HAS RESULTED UNTIL OTHER CTLRS STEPPED UP TO HELP DESPITE THIS SUPVR'S BAD DECISIONS AND DIRECTION. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE AN OVERLOADED CTLR; WHO CAN'T GET REQUESTED HELP FROM THIS SUPVR. HAS AN OPERROR OR WORSE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE; UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR BY MGMNT.

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.

Attributes
ACN	713631
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem.tracon
State Reference	TN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 15
ASRS Report	713631
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : mem.tracon

Mem TRACON controller described incident during heavy traffic when supervisor denied request to split position.