<< >> NASA ASRS Report 792067, June 2008

ZBW controller described extended time on position event; alleging staffing limitations and poor traffic management as causal factors.

Attributes
ACN	792067
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zbw.artcc
State Reference	NH
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain Thunderstorm Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 7 controller time certified in position1 : 4
ASRS Report	792067
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 : zbw.artcc staffing : zbw.artcc

Narrative:

I was working radar at the athens sector 38 for over 2 hours. Moderate traffic the whole time. All aircraft deviating for thunderstorms. No ground stops in effect. Mental fatigue was a large factor. New york metropolitan aircraft had to spin for lack of spacing. Traffic management was no help. Safety was compromised numerous times due to mental burnout.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW CTLR DESCRIBED EXTENDED TIME ON POSITION EVENT; ALLEGING STAFFING LIMITATIONS AND POOR TFC MGMNT AS CAUSAL FACTORS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING RADAR AT THE ATHENS SECTOR 38 FOR OVER 2 HRS. MODERATE TFC THE WHOLE TIME. ALL ACFT DEVIATING FOR TSTMS. NO GND STOPS IN EFFECT. MENTAL FATIGUE WAS A LARGE FACTOR. NEW YORK METRO ACFT HAD TO SPIN FOR LACK OF SPACING. TFC MGMNT WAS NO HELP. SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED NUMEROUS TIMES DUE TO MENTAL BURNOUT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.