Narrative:

Conditions at aspen; co; tracab (ase) on feb/xa/07 were inherently dangerous directly related to the atm's failure to call in overtime to cover known traffic levels. Historically this is known as the second busiest wkend of the winter tourist season as determined by the ski country tmu reservation program which was in effect. One controller was unavailable due to sick leave. That left staffing at 1 os and 2 cpc's from XA45-XE45 (historically busy hours); and 2 cpc's from XE45-XI00. The 2 cpc's and the supervisor worked moderate to heavy traffic levels under complex WX conditions including extreme winds; low visibility; and low ceilings. The complexity of the situation was compounded by unusual traffic sits including multiple missed approachs; diverts; and the unavailability of tiph. 1 cpc worked 8+52 on position out of a 10 hour day; 1 cpc worked 6+54 on position out of an 8 hour day; and the supervisor had a combined break time of 11 mins during his 10+ hour day. In an attempt to meet traffic conditions; the cpc's had to work 3 and 4 hours on position without breaks. Traffic was so intense; all arrival traffic to ase had to be stopped. Additionally; there was no time for the approach controller to provide a briefing so the best the relieving cpc was able to do was to work as his handoff. Even during the busiest periods; the supervisor had to work 4 combined tower position including the os/controller in charge position (5+11 on position; non-stop). These work conditions resulted in extreme fatigue. The controllers involved and their peers feel that this situation was a critical safety issue. All levels of safety redundancy had been eliminated as there was not even a 'stand alone' supervisor. The traffic levels and lengths of time in position mandated by the manager's staffing decisions placed the controllers at great risk of operrors; opdevs; and possibly being contributory to an aircraft accident. It was by shear good fortune that an incident did not occur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ASE CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING STAFFING LEVELS AND MGMNT'S RELUCTANCE TO CALL OVERTIME ON A BUSY SHIFT.

Narrative: CONDITIONS AT ASPEN; CO; TRACAB (ASE) ON FEB/XA/07 WERE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ATM'S FAILURE TO CALL IN OVERTIME TO COVER KNOWN TFC LEVELS. HISTORICALLY THIS IS KNOWN AS THE SECOND BUSIEST WKEND OF THE WINTER TOURIST SEASON AS DETERMINED BY THE SKI COUNTRY TMU RESERVATION PROGRAM WHICH WAS IN EFFECT. ONE CTLR WAS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO SICK LEAVE. THAT LEFT STAFFING AT 1 OS AND 2 CPC'S FROM XA45-XE45 (HISTORICALLY BUSY HRS); AND 2 CPC'S FROM XE45-XI00. THE 2 CPC'S AND THE SUPVR WORKED MODERATE TO HVY TFC LEVELS UNDER COMPLEX WX CONDITIONS INCLUDING EXTREME WINDS; LOW VISIBILITY; AND LOW CEILINGS. THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SIT WAS COMPOUNDED BY UNUSUAL TFC SITS INCLUDING MULTIPLE MISSED APCHS; DIVERTS; AND THE UNAVAILABILITY OF TIPH. 1 CPC WORKED 8+52 ON POS OUT OF A 10 HR DAY; 1 CPC WORKED 6+54 ON POS OUT OF AN 8 HR DAY; AND THE SUPVR HAD A COMBINED BREAK TIME OF 11 MINS DURING HIS 10+ HR DAY. IN AN ATTEMPT TO MEET TFC CONDITIONS; THE CPC'S HAD TO WORK 3 AND 4 HRS ON POS WITHOUT BREAKS. TFC WAS SO INTENSE; ALL ARR TFC TO ASE HAD TO BE STOPPED. ADDITIONALLY; THERE WAS NO TIME FOR THE APCH CTLR TO PROVIDE A BRIEFING SO THE BEST THE RELIEVING CPC WAS ABLE TO DO WAS TO WORK AS HIS HDOF. EVEN DURING THE BUSIEST PERIODS; THE SUPVR HAD TO WORK 4 COMBINED TWR POS INCLUDING THE OS/CIC POS (5+11 ON POS; NON-STOP). THESE WORK CONDITIONS RESULTED IN EXTREME FATIGUE. THE CTLRS INVOLVED AND THEIR PEERS FEEL THAT THIS SIT WAS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE. ALL LEVELS OF SAFETY REDUNDANCY HAD BEEN ELIMINATED AS THERE WAS NOT EVEN A 'STAND ALONE' SUPVR. THE TFC LEVELS AND LENGTHS OF TIME IN POS MANDATED BY THE MGR'S STAFFING DECISIONS PLACED THE CTLRS AT GREAT RISK OF OPERRORS; OPDEVS; AND POSSIBLY BEING CONTRIBUTORY TO AN ACFT ACCIDENT. IT WAS BY SHEAR GOOD FORTUNE THAT AN INCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR.

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.