Controller staffing shortage due to controller sick leave.

Attributes
ACN	229080
Time
Date	199212
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hou
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	229080
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The islip sector at the new york TRACON has a min staffing number of 2 controllers during it's mid-watch. The sector is responsible for airspace covering southern ct. Long island sound, long island and out over the ocean we provide approach control services to 21 different airports and heliports. One of the controllers assigned to work the mid- watch called in for sick leave. This request was approved. Management chose not to backfill for this controller. This meant only one controller was on duty for the 8 hour period. This meant that for 8 hours this controller was unable to leave his position this makes is practically impossible for the controller to process flight plans, go to the bathroom, get a drink of water, or just take a short break the fatigue fact is very high when working shift work. And for the FAA to leave an individual alone with no support for an entire mid-watch creates an unsafe situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR STAFFING SHORTAGE DUE TO CTLR SICK LEAVE.

Narrative: THE ISLIP SECTOR AT THE NEW YORK TRACON HAS A MIN STAFFING NUMBER OF 2 CTLRS DURING IT'S MID-WATCH. THE SECTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AIRSPACE COVERING SOUTHERN CT. LONG ISLAND SOUND, LONG ISLAND AND OUT OVER THE OCEAN WE PROVIDE APCH CTL SVCS TO 21 DIFFERENT ARPTS AND HELIPORTS. ONE OF THE CTLRS ASSIGNED TO WORK THE MID- WATCH CALLED IN FOR SICK LEAVE. THIS REQUEST WAS APPROVED. MGMNT CHOSE NOT TO BACKFILL FOR THIS CTLR. THIS MEANT ONLY ONE CTLR WAS ON DUTY FOR THE 8 HR PERIOD. THIS MEANT THAT FOR 8 HRS THIS CTLR WAS UNABLE TO LEAVE HIS POS THIS MAKES IS PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CTLR TO PROCESS FLT PLANS, GO TO THE BATHROOM, GET A DRINK OF WATER, OR JUST TAKE A SHORT BREAK THE FATIGUE FACT IS VERY HIGH WHEN WORKING SHIFT WORK. AND FOR THE FAA TO LEAVE AN INDIVIDUAL ALONE WITH NO SUPPORT FOR AN ENTIRE MID-WATCH CREATES AN UNSAFE SITUATION.

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