Narrative:

This shift begins at XH30, but a 15 min 'flex' is allowed. I arrived at XH45, and observed the specialty combined onto 2 position (normal) -- 2 controllers on duty and a supervisor working the a-side. The low altitude sector was not very busy, but did have about 10 or so aircraft on frequency. The other sector, a high and low combo, was very busy, with approximately 20+ aircraft on frequency. The controller was so busy he was unable to keep up with strip marking or strip management. (In fact, the supervisor X continued piling more and more strips into the sector.) I plugged in as the d-side for about 45 mins until traffic subsided. The short staffing is a result of the supervisor's failure to do his job properly. Staffing between XH30-XI30 is supposed to be 4 fpl controllers, 3 working at XH30 and 1 ending a shift at XI30. X failed to ensure a controller was assigned the XA30-XI30 shift, and when the next shift controllers were ready to go home at XH30 and the full staff was not present, failed to hold over enough staffing to handle the traffic. Further, X violated the rule that a supervisor is not allowed to work the a-side while the sic. (This is not the first such occasion X failed to provide adequate staffing during this time frame, but those other dates are not available). The 4 fpl staffing between XH30-XI30 is a management initiated plan negotiated with the union. There are no known exceptions. During one shift, the high/low mid sector would have likely been split to 3 sectors with 5 controllers working. X knowingly and carelessly allowed the staffing to drop to one when he had the resources to prevent it. His actions, or inactions, are inexcusable and indefensible. Because nothing adverse happened (as did on another specialty in a similar situation operational error), the agency will claim it was correct. Hindsight is always 20/20.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHEN ZFW CTLR ASSUMES DUTY, HE OBSERVES A SECTOR TFC SATURATION SIT AND IMMEDIATELY ASSUMES CTL DUTIES WITHOUT PROPER BRIEFINGS. SUPVR HAS NOT PROVIDED SUFFICIENT STAFFING FOR TFC.

Narrative: THIS SHIFT BEGINS AT XH30, BUT A 15 MIN 'FLEX' IS ALLOWED. I ARRIVED AT XH45, AND OBSERVED THE SPECIALTY COMBINED ONTO 2 POS (NORMAL) -- 2 CTLRS ON DUTY AND A SUPVR WORKING THE A-SIDE. THE LOW ALT SECTOR WAS NOT VERY BUSY, BUT DID HAVE ABOUT 10 OR SO ACFT ON FREQ. THE OTHER SECTOR, A HIGH AND LOW COMBO, WAS VERY BUSY, WITH APPROX 20+ ACFT ON FREQ. THE CTLR WAS SO BUSY HE WAS UNABLE TO KEEP UP WITH STRIP MARKING OR STRIP MGMNT. (IN FACT, THE SUPVR X CONTINUED PILING MORE AND MORE STRIPS INTO THE SECTOR.) I PLUGGED IN AS THE D-SIDE FOR ABOUT 45 MINS UNTIL TFC SUBSIDED. THE SHORT STAFFING IS A RESULT OF THE SUPVR'S FAILURE TO DO HIS JOB PROPERLY. STAFFING BTWN XH30-XI30 IS SUPPOSED TO BE 4 FPL CTLRS, 3 WORKING AT XH30 AND 1 ENDING A SHIFT AT XI30. X FAILED TO ENSURE A CTLR WAS ASSIGNED THE XA30-XI30 SHIFT, AND WHEN THE NEXT SHIFT CTLRS WERE READY TO GO HOME AT XH30 AND THE FULL STAFF WAS NOT PRESENT, FAILED TO HOLD OVER ENOUGH STAFFING TO HANDLE THE TFC. FURTHER, X VIOLATED THE RULE THAT A SUPVR IS NOT ALLOWED TO WORK THE A-SIDE WHILE THE SIC. (THIS IS NOT THE FIRST SUCH OCCASION X FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE STAFFING DURING THIS TIME FRAME, BUT THOSE OTHER DATES ARE NOT AVAILABLE). THE 4 FPL STAFFING BTWN XH30-XI30 IS A MGMNT INITIATED PLAN NEGOTIATED WITH THE UNION. THERE ARE NO KNOWN EXCEPTIONS. DURING ONE SHIFT, THE HIGH/LOW MID SECTOR WOULD HAVE LIKELY BEEN SPLIT TO 3 SECTORS WITH 5 CTLRS WORKING. X KNOWINGLY AND CARELESSLY ALLOWED THE STAFFING TO DROP TO ONE WHEN HE HAD THE RESOURCES TO PREVENT IT. HIS ACTIONS, OR INACTIONS, ARE INEXCUSABLE AND INDEFENSIBLE. BECAUSE NOTHING ADVERSE HAPPENED (AS DID ON ANOTHER SPECIALTY IN A SIMILAR SIT OPERROR), THE AGENCY WILL CLAIM IT WAS CORRECT. HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS 20/20.

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.