N90 controller described near conflict event claiming facility schedule practices does not provide a...

Narrative:

The following incident occurred as a result of extreme fatigue and an inability to maintain alertness. Due to shift assignment and schedule practices. Air taxi Y departs ewr and is assigned radar vector 350 degrees and a climb to 060 enroute to breezy intersection. Aircraft X departs teb; is initially issued a climb to 060 and direct breezy intersection. At this time I was having difficulty staying awake and maintaining alertness; although I had issued a clearance to aircraft X. Given my physical mental and fatigue; I re-cleared aircraft X to turn left heading 350 degrees; climb and maintain 060 (six thousand); again without realizing (remembering) that aircraft X had already been assigned and issued instructions. Consequently; the aircraft complied with my instructions to turn left to a heading 350 degrees. Aircraft X seemed to be on a heading of 350 degrees and therefore proceeded to turn left nearly 360 degrees; which eventually placed the aircraft head-on to air taxi Y; which had been tracking (vectored) towards aircraft X. Fortunately; while trying to maintain focus I noticed aircraft X on a southeast track as he circled back to a 350 degree heading. I then issued instructions to aircraft X to avoid any further convergence and re-cleared; maintained separation; and continued both aircraft onto their respective routes. There is no doubt in my mind that the primary cause and factor in this incident was my inability to maintain focus due to fatigue. Controllers at N90 TRACON are routinely scheduled mid-night shifts on days that they are scheduled morning shifts; 8 hours between the two shifts is not enough time to properly rest; prior to working the mid-night shift. A previous tragedy raised questions and concerns about the scheduling of a mid shift following a controller's day shift. I believe NTSB recommendations (findings) referenced this very same issue. I feel the issue of controller fatigue due to scheduling practices needs to be studied and examined thoroughly. Conversations with many other controllers reveal the difficulty many of us have resting properly and adequately prior to a mid-shift scheduled after a morning (day) shift. The problem appears to be widespread.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: N90 Controller described near conflict event claiming facility schedule practices does not provide adequate rest between shifts resulting in controller fatigue.

Narrative: The following incident occurred as a result of extreme fatigue and an inability to maintain alertness. Due to shift assignment and schedule practices. Air Taxi Y departs EWR and is assigned RADAR vector 350 degrees and a climb to 060 enroute to BREEZY intersection. Aircraft X departs TEB; is initially issued a climb to 060 and direct BREEZY intersection. At this time I was having difficulty staying awake and maintaining alertness; although I had issued a clearance to Aircraft X. Given my physical mental and fatigue; I re-cleared Aircraft X to turn left heading 350 degrees; climb and maintain 060 (six thousand); again without realizing (remembering) that Aircraft X had already been assigned and issued instructions. Consequently; the aircraft complied with my instructions to turn left to a heading 350 degrees. Aircraft X seemed to be on a heading of 350 degrees and therefore proceeded to turn left nearly 360 degrees; which eventually placed the aircraft head-on to Air Taxi Y; which had been tracking (vectored) towards Aircraft X. Fortunately; while trying to maintain focus I noticed Aircraft X on a southeast track as he circled back to a 350 degree heading. I then issued instructions to Aircraft X to avoid any further convergence and re-cleared; maintained separation; and continued both aircraft onto their respective routes. There is no doubt in my mind that the primary cause and factor in this incident was my inability to maintain focus due to fatigue. Controllers at N90 TRACON are routinely scheduled mid-night shifts on days that they are scheduled morning shifts; 8 hours between the two shifts is not enough time to properly rest; prior to working the mid-night shift. A previous tragedy raised questions and concerns about the scheduling of a mid shift following a controller's day shift. I believe NTSB recommendations (findings) referenced this very same issue. I feel the issue of controller fatigue due to scheduling practices needs to be studied and examined thoroughly. Conversations with many other controllers reveal the difficulty many of us have resting properly and adequately prior to a mid-shift scheduled after a morning (day) shift. The problem appears to be widespread.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	877610
Time
Date	201003
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	TEB.Airport
State Reference	NJ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna Citation Sovereign (C680)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 6
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Flight Data / Clearance Delivery Departure Approach Coordinator
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Radar 10 Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 10
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict

N90 controller described near conflict event claiming facility schedule practices does not provide adequate rest between shifts resulting in controller fatigue.