Due to short staffing at the part time tower at pne, the controller on duty suspended ATC services for 15 mins to take a break. Just as he was leaving the tower cabin attendant, he saw a twin cessna on short final to a runway where a BE20 was departing IFR on the opposite end. The controller immediately broadcast a message to the twin cessna to turn left or right.

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Attributes
ACN	410465
Time
Date	199808
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pne
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 900 msl bound upper : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pne
Make Model Name	Super King Air 200/Huron
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller non radar : 7
ASRS Report	410465
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

On aug/xa/98 pne ATCT was in an emergency short staffing situation. Only 1 fpl was on duty from XA00-XE00. At XC00 air traffic services were suspended for 15 mins for a necessary break. All appropriate information was broadcasting on the ATIS including a cautionary advisory about the intersecting runways. At XC06 a BE20 was departing runway 6 on an IFR flight plan on frequency 123.8 (phl departure radar) at the same time a twin cessna was on short final to runway 4 -- broadcasting intentions on the CTAF 126.9. Had the controller (who happened to be just leaving the cabin attendant and heard the twin report on final to runway 24 not intervened by instructing the twin cessna to immediately abandon his approach with a left or right turn, they would have definitely hit midair. Pne ATCT needs to be staffed properly so as to not have this negative impact on air safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DUE TO SHORT STAFFING AT THE PART TIME TWR AT PNE, THE CTLR ON DUTY SUSPENDED ATC SVCS FOR 15 MINS TO TAKE A BREAK. JUST AS HE WAS LEAVING THE TWR CAB, HE SAW A TWIN CESSNA ON SHORT FINAL TO A RWY WHERE A BE20 WAS DEPARTING IFR ON THE OPPOSITE END. THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY BROADCAST A MESSAGE TO THE TWIN CESSNA TO TURN L OR R.

Narrative: ON AUG/XA/98 PNE ATCT WAS IN AN EMER SHORT STAFFING SIT. ONLY 1 FPL WAS ON DUTY FROM XA00-XE00. AT XC00 AIR TFC SVCS WERE SUSPENDED FOR 15 MINS FOR A NECESSARY BREAK. ALL APPROPRIATE INFO WAS BROADCASTING ON THE ATIS INCLUDING A CAUTIONARY ADVISORY ABOUT THE INTERSECTING RWYS. AT XC06 A BE20 WAS DEPARTING RWY 6 ON AN IFR FLT PLAN ON FREQ 123.8 (PHL DEP RADAR) AT THE SAME TIME A TWIN CESSNA WAS ON SHORT FINAL TO RWY 4 -- BROADCASTING INTENTIONS ON THE CTAF 126.9. HAD THE CTLR (WHO HAPPENED TO BE JUST LEAVING THE CAB AND HEARD THE TWIN RPT ON FINAL TO RWY 24 NOT INTERVENED BY INSTRUCTING THE TWIN CESSNA TO IMMEDIATELY ABANDON HIS APCH WITH A L OR R TURN, THEY WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY HIT MIDAIR. PNE ATCT NEEDS TO BE STAFFED PROPERLY SO AS TO NOT HAVE THIS NEGATIVE IMPACT ON AIR SAFETY.

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.