Zan controller expressed frustration with lack of staffing during busy and complex traffic situation...

Attributes
ACN	590542
Time
Date	200308
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 18 controller non radar : 18 controller radar : 18 controller time certified in position1 : 15 flight time total : 32
ASRS Report	590542
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Around XA00 wednesday I was working the R-7 position at zan. I got busy with numerous xfers (manual) to edmonton ARTCC, arrs and departures and special VFR's at cordova airport, a sequencing situation at anchorage airport and several departures from anchorage. I requested the supervisor to provide me a d-side, but he was hesitant to get me one because we were short staffed. When he finally did get me a d-sider, I was getting behind on coordination, and had lost radio contact with 2 aircraft because I had failed to change them to the next frequency. The d-side helped for a few mins then was taken somewhere else because he was needed on another sector. While I was distraction with all these things, I failed to handoff a B757 to another sector, until he was right at the boundary. The supervisor pointed it out to me and I made the handoff, but he was already less than 2 1/2 mi from the sector boundary, which is a system deviation. The deviation went unrpted by the supervisor, possibly because I was still needed for ATC duty, and possibly because the local management does not want to admit that our short staffing is compromising safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAN CTLR EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH LACK OF STAFFING DURING BUSY AND COMPLEX TFC SIT.

Narrative: AROUND XA00 WEDNESDAY I WAS WORKING THE R-7 POS AT ZAN. I GOT BUSY WITH NUMEROUS XFERS (MANUAL) TO EDMONTON ARTCC, ARRS AND DEPS AND SPECIAL VFR'S AT CORDOVA ARPT, A SEQUENCING SIT AT ANCHORAGE ARPT AND SEVERAL DEPS FROM ANCHORAGE. I REQUESTED THE SUPVR TO PROVIDE ME A D-SIDE, BUT HE WAS HESITANT TO GET ME ONE BECAUSE WE WERE SHORT STAFFED. WHEN HE FINALLY DID GET ME A D-SIDER, I WAS GETTING BEHIND ON COORD, AND HAD LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH 2 ACFT BECAUSE I HAD FAILED TO CHANGE THEM TO THE NEXT FREQ. THE D-SIDE HELPED FOR A FEW MINS THEN WAS TAKEN SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE HE WAS NEEDED ON ANOTHER SECTOR. WHILE I WAS DISTR WITH ALL THESE THINGS, I FAILED TO HDOF A B757 TO ANOTHER SECTOR, UNTIL HE WAS RIGHT AT THE BOUNDARY. THE SUPVR POINTED IT OUT TO ME AND I MADE THE HDOF, BUT HE WAS ALREADY LESS THAN 2 1/2 MI FROM THE SECTOR BOUNDARY, WHICH IS A SYS DEV. THE DEV WENT UNRPTED BY THE SUPVR, POSSIBLY BECAUSE I WAS STILL NEEDED FOR ATC DUTY, AND POSSIBLY BECAUSE THE LCL MGMNT DOES NOT WANT TO ADMIT THAT OUR SHORT STAFFING IS COMPROMISING 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.