Narrative:

On the mid shift, we have 3 scopes and 3 controllers. I was assigned 2 sectors to work--1 low altitude and 1 high altitude, which were approximately 15' apart. The 2 sectors have 8 frequencys to listen and transmit on. We were on darc K, our backup radar system. At the time I was assigned the 2 sectors, little rock approach called for 2 clrncs, an aircraft called off harrison (ar), and 2 aircraft called off springdale (ar). Since we were on darc, I had no flight plans on the aircraft. I had to assign beacon codes, but the computer would not accept any codes. While this was going on, ZFW was calling to hand off an aircraft on the other sector. I finally got a minute and ran over to take the handoff. Then I ran back to the other sector because little rock approach was trying to hand off their 2 aircraft. At this time the aircraft I took a handoff on on the other sector was calling, but I had to wait a few mins to answer. One of the departures off little rock was inbound to arkadelphia, ar, which was IFR. I feel I was too busy to be assigned 2 sectors, especially 15' apart. I could not keep an eye on 1 sector while I was working the other. I consider this a very dangerous situation. One is supposed to give one's complete attention to his traffic, and I was unable to. This situation occurred because the supervisor insisted that another controller take a lunch break in order to save paying 15 mins overtime for a missed meal break. I feel the solution is to give us 1 more controller on the mid shift so we can get out for our meal break. If that is not possible, pay the meal break pay.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR WAS ASSIGNED TO WORK COMBINED SECTORS THAT WERE 15' APART AND HAD DIFFICULTY HANDLING TRAFFIC.

Narrative: ON THE MID SHIFT, WE HAVE 3 SCOPES AND 3 CTLRS. I WAS ASSIGNED 2 SECTORS TO WORK--1 LOW ALT AND 1 HIGH ALT, WHICH WERE APPROX 15' APART. THE 2 SECTORS HAVE 8 FREQS TO LISTEN AND XMIT ON. WE WERE ON DARC K, OUR BACKUP RADAR SYS. AT THE TIME I WAS ASSIGNED THE 2 SECTORS, LITTLE ROCK APCH CALLED FOR 2 CLRNCS, AN ACFT CALLED OFF HARRISON (AR), AND 2 ACFT CALLED OFF SPRINGDALE (AR). SINCE WE WERE ON DARC, I HAD NO FLT PLANS ON THE ACFT. I HAD TO ASSIGN BEACON CODES, BUT THE COMPUTER WOULD NOT ACCEPT ANY CODES. WHILE THIS WAS GOING ON, ZFW WAS CALLING TO HAND OFF AN ACFT ON THE OTHER SECTOR. I FINALLY GOT A MINUTE AND RAN OVER TO TAKE THE HDOF. THEN I RAN BACK TO THE OTHER SECTOR BECAUSE LITTLE ROCK APCH WAS TRYING TO HAND OFF THEIR 2 ACFT. AT THIS TIME THE ACFT I TOOK A HDOF ON ON THE OTHER SECTOR WAS CALLING, BUT I HAD TO WAIT A FEW MINS TO ANSWER. ONE OF THE DEPS OFF LITTLE ROCK WAS INBND TO ARKADELPHIA, AR, WHICH WAS IFR. I FEEL I WAS TOO BUSY TO BE ASSIGNED 2 SECTORS, ESPECIALLY 15' APART. I COULD NOT KEEP AN EYE ON 1 SECTOR WHILE I WAS WORKING THE OTHER. I CONSIDER THIS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. ONE IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE ONE'S COMPLETE ATTN TO HIS TFC, AND I WAS UNABLE TO. THIS SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE THE SUPVR INSISTED THAT ANOTHER CTLR TAKE A LUNCH BREAK IN ORDER TO SAVE PAYING 15 MINS OVERTIME FOR A MISSED MEAL BREAK. I FEEL THE SOLUTION IS TO GIVE US 1 MORE CTLR ON THE MID SHIFT SO WE CAN GET OUT FOR OUR MEAL BREAK. IF THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE, PAY THE MEAL BREAK PAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.