Narrative:

I was sent to relieve the lbb-left sector (64). There were 3 people plugged in at the time. Supervisor was getting a check ride on the d-side; while plugged in and working the r-side. Other controller was the osti giving instruction and responsible for the position. A third controller was evaluating the supervisor. I was given a briefing on the sector and assumed the position. There were a few things going on in the sector that needed my attention; so I took care of those. I noticed that aircraft X was given an approach clearance to the snyder (snk) airport. The interim altitude in the data block showed 045 (4500 ft). I asked the supervisor on the jen (glen rose) area; for the strip on X; as there was not one posted and I thought we would lose radar contact if the aircraft flew the entire approach. I marked the altitude on the strip of 4500 ft; and wrote an approach time of before XA32 local; as there was no approach time written anywhere. I pointed the aircraft out to the abi lo (63) sector. The MSAW alert flashed 049 (4900 ft). I issued the clearance 'maintain 4900 ft until established on approach; cleared approach to the snyder airport.' the pilot acknowledged; the MEA for the area is 4900 ft. I pointed out the fact that X was given a clearance below the MEA to evaluating controller and to third controller. Supervisor getting check ride was going to be certified. When the mistake was pointed out they decided not to certify him. Some factors that I believe are relevant are: ZFW is going from 7 to 6 areas of specialization. The training hours; procedures; and attitude by management at ZFW are less than standard. There have been waivers issued to the national and local training orders. The hours given to certify have also been greatly reduced from a minimum of 40 or 50 to 10 hours. The attitude by those in charge is 'get this done as soon as possible and spend as little time and money on it as possible.' the lbb lo sector is a sector that works military areas that are not always in use. Much of the training people are receiving is during times when these areas are cold. Some people have even checked out without ever seeing them active. The area rating test and map test for this sector given to the jen (glen rose) controllers did not have any requirement to know the meas. To me; this is unacceptable. The flippant attitude towards training by management at ZFW has; in some cases; filtered down to some of the people giving instruction. That is what happened in this case. In my opinion; the requirements to have consistent training and regular training team meetings; and a training plan have all been waived by the management at ZFW. These items are key to the success of a trainee on a sector; and more importantly to the safety of the flying public. Rules and regulations are put into place for a reason -- safety! Anything that reduces the rules and regulations; reduces safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW CTLR DESCRIBED NEAR LOSS OF TERRAIN SEPARATION DURING POSITION RELIEF BRIEFING; CITING FAC TRAINING POLICY/PROC AS CAUSAL FACTOR.

Narrative: I WAS SENT TO RELIEVE THE LBB-L SECTOR (64). THERE WERE 3 PEOPLE PLUGGED IN AT THE TIME. SUPVR WAS GETTING A CHK RIDE ON THE D-SIDE; WHILE PLUGGED IN AND WORKING THE R-SIDE. OTHER CTLR WAS THE OSTI GIVING INSTRUCTION AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POS. A THIRD CTLR WAS EVALUATING THE SUPVR. I WAS GIVEN A BRIEFING ON THE SECTOR AND ASSUMED THE POS. THERE WERE A FEW THINGS GOING ON IN THE SECTOR THAT NEEDED MY ATTN; SO I TOOK CARE OF THOSE. I NOTICED THAT ACFT X WAS GIVEN AN APCH CLRNC TO THE SNYDER (SNK) ARPT. THE INTERIM ALT IN THE DATA BLOCK SHOWED 045 (4500 FT). I ASKED THE SUPVR ON THE JEN (GLEN ROSE) AREA; FOR THE STRIP ON X; AS THERE WAS NOT ONE POSTED AND I THOUGHT WE WOULD LOSE RADAR CONTACT IF THE ACFT FLEW THE ENTIRE APCH. I MARKED THE ALT ON THE STRIP OF 4500 FT; AND WROTE AN APCH TIME OF BEFORE XA32 LCL; AS THERE WAS NO APCH TIME WRITTEN ANYWHERE. I POINTED THE ACFT OUT TO THE ABI LO (63) SECTOR. THE MSAW ALERT FLASHED 049 (4900 FT). I ISSUED THE CLRNC 'MAINTAIN 4900 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON APCH; CLRED APCH TO THE SNYDER ARPT.' THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED; THE MEA FOR THE AREA IS 4900 FT. I POINTED OUT THE FACT THAT X WAS GIVEN A CLRNC BELOW THE MEA TO EVALUATING CTLR AND TO THIRD CTLR. SUPVR GETTING CHK RIDE WAS GOING TO BE CERTIFIED. WHEN THE MISTAKE WAS POINTED OUT THEY DECIDED NOT TO CERTIFY HIM. SOME FACTORS THAT I BELIEVE ARE RELEVANT ARE: ZFW IS GOING FROM 7 TO 6 AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION. THE TRAINING HRS; PROCS; AND ATTITUDE BY MGMNT AT ZFW ARE LESS THAN STANDARD. THERE HAVE BEEN WAIVERS ISSUED TO THE NATL AND LCL TRAINING ORDERS. THE HRS GIVEN TO CERTIFY HAVE ALSO BEEN GREATLY REDUCED FROM A MINIMUM OF 40 OR 50 TO 10 HRS. THE ATTITUDE BY THOSE IN CHARGE IS 'GET THIS DONE ASAP AND SPEND AS LITTLE TIME AND MONEY ON IT AS POSSIBLE.' THE LBB LO SECTOR IS A SECTOR THAT WORKS MIL AREAS THAT ARE NOT ALWAYS IN USE. MUCH OF THE TRAINING PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING IS DURING TIMES WHEN THESE AREAS ARE COLD. SOME PEOPLE HAVE EVEN CHKED OUT WITHOUT EVER SEEING THEM ACTIVE. THE AREA RATING TEST AND MAP TEST FOR THIS SECTOR GIVEN TO THE JEN (GLEN ROSE) CTLRS DID NOT HAVE ANY REQUIREMENT TO KNOW THE MEAS. TO ME; THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE FLIPPANT ATTITUDE TOWARDS TRAINING BY MANAGEMENT AT ZFW HAS; IN SOME CASES; FILTERED DOWN TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE GIVING INSTRUCTION. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS CASE. IN MY OPINION; THE REQUIREMENTS TO HAVE CONSISTENT TRAINING AND REGULAR TRAINING TEAM MEETINGS; AND A TRAINING PLAN HAVE ALL BEEN WAIVED BY THE MGMNT AT ZFW. THESE ITEMS ARE KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF A TRAINEE ON A SECTOR; AND MORE IMPORTANTLY TO THE SAFETY OF THE FLYING PUBLIC. RULES AND REGS ARE PUT INTO PLACE FOR A REASON -- SAFETY! ANYTHING THAT REDUCES THE RULES AND REGS; REDUCES SAFETY.

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.