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A tower controller was assigned to work combined ground control positions during a busy period. A taxiing aircraft reported to the controller they had to 'slam on the brakes' to avoid conflicting traffic on the taxiway.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1373047 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201607 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | MSP.Tower |
| State Reference | MN |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Taxi |
| Route In Use | None |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Ground |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Conflict Ground Conflict Critical |
Narrative:
I was told to work all ground control positions plus metering combined as the traffic was dying down and we were short staffed. We were issuing reroutes due to weather and the workload was increased from having to reissue clearances. Aircraft Y was turning from taxiway charlie onto taxiway bravo in front of aircraft X that was on alpha going to delta. Aircraft X was instructed to pass behind aircraft Y. I was working all of the ground control positions and metering and the frequencies were still congested with planes calling to push and taxi on multiple frequencies. I thought the pass behind instruction was issued timely enough but aircraft X called to complain that he had to 'slam on the brakes.' in retrospect if I was only working one ground the call would have been made earlier. Everywhere I have worked this has been a common problem; positions being combined that should remained split due to low staffing. This is the greatest threat to the national airspace system in my opinion.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A Tower Controller was assigned to work combined Ground Control positions during a busy period. A taxiing aircraft reported to the Controller they had to 'slam on the brakes' to avoid conflicting traffic on the taxiway.
Narrative: I was told to work all Ground Control positions plus Metering combined as the traffic was dying down and we were short staffed. We were issuing reroutes due to weather and the workload was increased from having to reissue clearances. Aircraft Y was turning from Taxiway Charlie onto Taxiway Bravo in front of Aircraft X that was on Alpha going to Delta. Aircraft X was instructed to pass behind Aircraft Y. I was working all of the Ground Control positions and Metering and the frequencies were still congested with planes calling to push and taxi on multiple frequencies. I thought the pass behind instruction was issued timely enough but Aircraft X called to complain that he had to 'slam on the brakes.' In retrospect if I was only working one Ground the call would have been made earlier. Everywhere I have worked this has been a common problem; positions being combined that should remained split due to low staffing. This is the greatest threat to the National Airspace System in my opinion.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.