Narrative:

Was working final control position on a day when wind was 50 KTS out of the northeast at 5000 ft; then 30 KTS from southwest at 3000 ft. Front line manager came over and instructed me that 'we were going to have to do better and cut landing interval to 4 mi. (I was running 5 mi at the time.) I told him I didn't know if I could do that; but he could replace me if he wanted. His response was; 'we may just have to do that.' next controller in off break; was controller I relieved 30 mins earlier. He'd been on final for 1 hour 50 mins before break. He took briefing; then 8 mins after assuming the position; had an operational error with 2 aircraft at 4000 ft on base leg. Instance could have been prevented if supervisor hadn't tried to pressure controller into running reduced final on a day when winds were swirling and unpredictable. Relieving controller felt pressured to run a reduced final.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLT CTLR DESCRIBED INCIDENT FOLLOWING HIS BEING RELIEVED BY SUPVR BECAUSE OF DISPUTE REGARDING SPACING ON FINAL.

Narrative: WAS WORKING FINAL CTL POS ON A DAY WHEN WIND WAS 50 KTS OUT OF THE NE AT 5000 FT; THEN 30 KTS FROM SW AT 3000 FT. FRONT LINE MGR CAME OVER AND INSTRUCTED ME THAT 'WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO DO BETTER AND CUT LNDG INTERVAL TO 4 MI. (I WAS RUNNING 5 MI AT THE TIME.) I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T KNOW IF I COULD DO THAT; BUT HE COULD REPLACE ME IF HE WANTED. HIS RESPONSE WAS; 'WE MAY JUST HAVE TO DO THAT.' NEXT CTLR IN OFF BREAK; WAS CTLR I RELIEVED 30 MINS EARLIER. HE'D BEEN ON FINAL FOR 1 HR 50 MINS BEFORE BREAK. HE TOOK BRIEFING; THEN 8 MINS AFTER ASSUMING THE POS; HAD AN OPERROR WITH 2 ACFT AT 4000 FT ON BASE LEG. INSTANCE COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF SUPVR HADN'T TRIED TO PRESSURE CTLR INTO RUNNING REDUCED FINAL ON A DAY WHEN WINDS WERE SWIRLING AND UNPREDICTABLE. RELIEVING CTLR FELT PRESSURED TO RUN A REDUCED FINAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.