Narrative:

My area; the airspace north and west of detroit; was heavily impacted by severe WX. It was known for many hours that WX would be a problem for the afternoon shift and that the shift was understaffed. Nothing was done to mitigate these problems. No overtime was called. There was only 1 supervisor on the shift. At XA00 we combined 2 sectors; that I have never in 22 yrs; seen combined on a tuesday night; due to lack of controllers to fill all the position. Many controllers went over 2 hours on position with no break and arduous traffic and WX. I personally was on position 2 hour 27 mins; and began to make many errors; misstating call signs; not hearing check-ONS; things that can lead to more serious problems. Specifically; there was an air carrier X who I called air carrier Y 4 different times; even after we had a discussion about it on frequency. I am not infallible; but I assure you this is far from my normal operating habits and something I attribute to fatigue. Traffic management and supervisors need to take a more active role; assess the schedule realistically; and the impact of WX or other extenuating circumstances; then call in overtime to adequate staff the area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOB CTLR DESCRIBED BUSY EVENING SHIFT WITH SEVERE WX IMPACTS REQUIRING EXTENDED TIME ON POS DUE TO POOR PLANNING AND STAFFING SHORTAGES.

Narrative: MY AREA; THE AIRSPACE N AND W OF DETROIT; WAS HEAVILY IMPACTED BY SEVERE WX. IT WAS KNOWN FOR MANY HRS THAT WX WOULD BE A PROB FOR THE AFTERNOON SHIFT AND THAT THE SHIFT WAS UNDERSTAFFED. NOTHING WAS DONE TO MITIGATE THESE PROBS. NO OVERTIME WAS CALLED. THERE WAS ONLY 1 SUPVR ON THE SHIFT. AT XA00 WE COMBINED 2 SECTORS; THAT I HAVE NEVER IN 22 YRS; SEEN COMBINED ON A TUESDAY NIGHT; DUE TO LACK OF CTLRS TO FILL ALL THE POS. MANY CTLRS WENT OVER 2 HRS ON POS WITH NO BREAK AND ARDUOUS TFC AND WX. I PERSONALLY WAS ON POS 2 HR 27 MINS; AND BEGAN TO MAKE MANY ERRORS; MISSTATING CALL SIGNS; NOT HEARING CHK-ONS; THINGS THAT CAN LEAD TO MORE SERIOUS PROBS. SPECIFICALLY; THERE WAS AN ACR X WHO I CALLED ACR Y 4 DIFFERENT TIMES; EVEN AFTER WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT ON FREQ. I AM NOT INFALLIBLE; BUT I ASSURE YOU THIS IS FAR FROM MY NORMAL OPERATING HABITS AND SOMETHING I ATTRIBUTE TO FATIGUE. TFC MGMNT AND SUPVRS NEED TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE; ASSESS THE SCHEDULE REALISTICALLY; AND THE IMPACT OF WX OR OTHER EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES; THEN CALL IN OVERTIME TO ADEQUATE STAFF THE AREA.

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.