Narrative:

On jun/tue/04, at approximately XA00-XB00, I was working the r-side at sector 29 (onl: O'neill, northeast), minneapolis (ZMP) ARTCC. This sector controls traffic from FL240-FL350. I had a d-side at the time. The sector was experiencing WX deviations around the northeast corner of the sector (around fsd) and had lots of turbulence at the higher altitudes resulting in most aircraft flying at lower altitudes (FL280, FL310). There was frequency congestion due to the WX deviations and ride inquiries/complaints. The sioux atcaa was also active at the time, but had been capped at FL260 due to the WX and rides. At some point my d-side noted a red monitor alert for the sector (the monitor alert parameter 'map' numbers are projected onto screens in the area) and brought it to the attention of the area supervisor. The d-side told the supervisor to move traffic around the sector since the map indicated that the traffic would exceed the sector map value by some margin. Subsequently the map number was exceeded by +5 at its peak at approximately XA40. The map number was exceeded from XA37-XA51. This sector already has a map number set at maximum (21) as per the monitor alert order (7210.3T). The map order 7210.3T paragraphs 17-7-1 and 17-7-2C, state that the 'map is a dynamic value' and that 'the map value will be dynamically adjusted.' therefore, based on the WX deviations, poor rides as well as the active atcaa, the map value should have been adjusted downward to reflect the reduced sector efficiency. Because the map value was not dynamically adjusted, the sector became overloaded with traffic. ZMP tmu does not routinely adhere to the 7210.3T order (I have never seen a sector map dynamically adjusted). This results in sectors regularly being overloaded, especially during bad WX events. It is probable that this occurs with regularity at other facilities as well. In discussions with my immediate supervisor (a former tmu specialist) he claimed complete ignorance of the 7210.3T sections regarding dynamic adjustment of the map. It appears that ZMP tmu is either unaware of sections of the order, or selectively ignores sections of it. I note also that an NTSB safety recommendation of apr/fri/00, regarding an incident at another facility, noting that the 7210.3 and dynamic adjustment of map was not being accomplished at that time, appears to have not been corrected. I recommend that the FAA command center and all facility tmu's review and comply with the 7210.3T order and dynamically adjust the map values of sectors. Additionally I recommend an implementation of a red sector monitor alert review system done by other than tmu to insure tmu's compliance in the future considering they have shown repeated disregard for the order in the past.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZMP CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARD FACILITY'S FAILURE TO DYNAMICALLY ADJUST MONITOR ALERT PARAMETER (MAP) NUMBERS WHEN TFC DICTATES.

Narrative: ON JUN/TUE/04, AT APPROX XA00-XB00, I WAS WORKING THE R-SIDE AT SECTOR 29 (ONL: O'NEILL, NE), MINNEAPOLIS (ZMP) ARTCC. THIS SECTOR CTLS TFC FROM FL240-FL350. I HAD A D-SIDE AT THE TIME. THE SECTOR WAS EXPERIENCING WX DEVS AROUND THE NE CORNER OF THE SECTOR (AROUND FSD) AND HAD LOTS OF TURB AT THE HIGHER ALTS RESULTING IN MOST ACFT FLYING AT LOWER ALTS (FL280, FL310). THERE WAS FREQ CONGESTION DUE TO THE WX DEVS AND RIDE INQUIRIES/COMPLAINTS. THE SIOUX ATCAA WAS ALSO ACTIVE AT THE TIME, BUT HAD BEEN CAPPED AT FL260 DUE TO THE WX AND RIDES. AT SOME POINT MY D-SIDE NOTED A RED MONITOR ALERT FOR THE SECTOR (THE MONITOR ALERT PARAMETER 'MAP' NUMBERS ARE PROJECTED ONTO SCREENS IN THE AREA) AND BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTN OF THE AREA SUPVR. THE D-SIDE TOLD THE SUPVR TO MOVE TFC AROUND THE SECTOR SINCE THE MAP INDICATED THAT THE TFC WOULD EXCEED THE SECTOR MAP VALUE BY SOME MARGIN. SUBSEQUENTLY THE MAP NUMBER WAS EXCEEDED BY +5 AT ITS PEAK AT APPROX XA40. THE MAP NUMBER WAS EXCEEDED FROM XA37-XA51. THIS SECTOR ALREADY HAS A MAP NUMBER SET AT MAX (21) AS PER THE MONITOR ALERT ORDER (7210.3T). THE MAP ORDER 7210.3T PARAGRAPHS 17-7-1 AND 17-7-2C, STATE THAT THE 'MAP IS A DYNAMIC VALUE' AND THAT 'THE MAP VALUE WILL BE DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTED.' THEREFORE, BASED ON THE WX DEVS, POOR RIDES AS WELL AS THE ACTIVE ATCAA, THE MAP VALUE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED DOWNWARD TO REFLECT THE REDUCED SECTOR EFFICIENCY. BECAUSE THE MAP VALUE WAS NOT DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTED, THE SECTOR BECAME OVERLOADED WITH TFC. ZMP TMU DOES NOT ROUTINELY ADHERE TO THE 7210.3T ORDER (I HAVE NEVER SEEN A SECTOR MAP DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTED). THIS RESULTS IN SECTORS REGULARLY BEING OVERLOADED, ESPECIALLY DURING BAD WX EVENTS. IT IS PROBABLE THAT THIS OCCURS WITH REGULARITY AT OTHER FACILITIES AS WELL. IN DISCUSSIONS WITH MY IMMEDIATE SUPVR (A FORMER TMU SPECIALIST) HE CLAIMED COMPLETE IGNORANCE OF THE 7210.3T SECTIONS REGARDING DYNAMIC ADJUSTMENT OF THE MAP. IT APPEARS THAT ZMP TMU IS EITHER UNAWARE OF SECTIONS OF THE ORDER, OR SELECTIVELY IGNORES SECTIONS OF IT. I NOTE ALSO THAT AN NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATION OF APR/FRI/00, REGARDING AN INCIDENT AT ANOTHER FACILITY, NOTING THAT THE 7210.3 AND DYNAMIC ADJUSTMENT OF MAP WAS NOT BEING ACCOMPLISHED AT THAT TIME, APPEARS TO HAVE NOT BEEN CORRECTED. I RECOMMEND THAT THE FAA COMMAND CTR AND ALL FACILITY TMU'S REVIEW AND COMPLY WITH THE 7210.3T ORDER AND DYNAMICALLY ADJUST THE MAP VALUES OF SECTORS. ADDITIONALLY I RECOMMEND AN IMPLEMENTATION OF A RED SECTOR MONITOR ALERT REVIEW SYS DONE BY OTHER THAN TMU TO INSURE TMU'S COMPLIANCE IN THE FUTURE CONSIDERING THEY HAVE SHOWN REPEATED DISREGARD FOR THE ORDER IN THE PAST.

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.