Narrative:

Poor WX and extreme lack of traffic management initiatives resulted in the cambridge (#39) sector being oversaturated to the point where it bordered on out of control. 75-80% of the 18 aircraft were on headings to avoid WX or join newly issued rtes. Excessive coordination and re-issuance of rtes added to the complexity. Of the 2 aircraft in question; 1 (the E170) was well north of course for WX; and the other (the B767) was being vectored in a box pattern in lieu of being issued holding instructions due to lack of time and an extremely congested frequency. There were 3 aircraft being vectored in this box pattern alone 'holding' for jfk. No help from tmu or management in trying to prevent the sector from going out of control. Earlier initiatives would have prevented this situation. Perhaps collaborating with the govt in-house to devise a plan should be used to forecast WX avoidance in the future. Supplemental information from acn 797333: sector was out of control with WX deviations; rertes; diversions and holding. Radar controller was distraction trying to issue diversion instructions and trying to find a place to hold jfk arrs due to WX. No help from traffic management or supervision to relieve congestion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL340 WHILE PROVIDING DELAY AND WX VECTORS TO MULTIPLE ACFT; ALLEGING LACK OF TFC MGMNT AS CAUSAL FACTOR.

Narrative: POOR WX AND EXTREME LACK OF TFC MGMNT INITIATIVES RESULTED IN THE CAMBRIDGE (#39) SECTOR BEING OVERSATURATED TO THE POINT WHERE IT BORDERED ON OUT OF CTL. 75-80% OF THE 18 ACFT WERE ON HDGS TO AVOID WX OR JOIN NEWLY ISSUED RTES. EXCESSIVE COORD AND RE-ISSUANCE OF RTES ADDED TO THE COMPLEXITY. OF THE 2 ACFT IN QUESTION; 1 (THE E170) WAS WELL N OF COURSE FOR WX; AND THE OTHER (THE B767) WAS BEING VECTORED IN A BOX PATTERN IN LIEU OF BEING ISSUED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS DUE TO LACK OF TIME AND AN EXTREMELY CONGESTED FREQ. THERE WERE 3 ACFT BEING VECTORED IN THIS BOX PATTERN ALONE 'HOLDING' FOR JFK. NO HELP FROM TMU OR MGMNT IN TRYING TO PREVENT THE SECTOR FROM GOING OUT OF CTL. EARLIER INITIATIVES WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS SITUATION. PERHAPS COLLABORATING WITH THE GOVT IN-HOUSE TO DEVISE A PLAN SHOULD BE USED TO FORECAST WX AVOIDANCE IN THE FUTURE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 797333: SECTOR WAS OUT OF CTL WITH WX DEVS; RERTES; DIVERSIONS AND HOLDING. RADAR CTLR WAS DISTR TRYING TO ISSUE DIVERSION INSTRUCTIONS AND TRYING TO FIND A PLACE TO HOLD JFK ARRS DUE TO WX. NO HELP FROM TFC MGMNT OR SUPERVISION TO RELIEVE CONGESTION.

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.