Narrative:

XA00 shift understaffed; heavy nat traffic; 10 controllers; 10 sectors open; numerous controllers on over 4 or 5 hours. 2 nights in a row same traffic; same staffing. No useful restrs; biggest problem controller fatigue with heavy traffic (over 30 aircraft at sector). Then same controllers held over to help understaffed next shift. Supplemental information from acn 727180: it is very difficult to remain sharp and focused for over 2 hours no less 4. Staffing has been cut to bare minimums and no one in management is doing anything about it. Supplemental information from acn 727181: aircraft #1 was shown at FL390 in oceanic environment with traffic behind by 3 mins and 3 mach faster. Aircraft #1 was told to climb to FL400. Fortunately; he was unable. Aircraft #1 was actually at FL350 with traffic at FL360; FL370 and FL390 directly overhead. At the time of this occurrence we had extremely heavy traffic. Time on position was 4+ hours. The only reason we did not have a midair is due to pure luck and the fact the B767 was not able higher.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZNY CTLRS EXPRESS CONCERN REGARDING LACK OF STAFFING; LACK OF TFC FLOW RESTRICTIONS AND FATIGUE EXPERIENCED DURING BUSY TFC PERIOD.

Narrative: XA00 SHIFT UNDERSTAFFED; HVY NAT TFC; 10 CTLRS; 10 SECTORS OPEN; NUMEROUS CTLRS ON OVER 4 OR 5 HRS. 2 NIGHTS IN A ROW SAME TFC; SAME STAFFING. NO USEFUL RESTRS; BIGGEST PROB CTLR FATIGUE WITH HVY TFC (OVER 30 ACFT AT SECTOR). THEN SAME CTLRS HELD OVER TO HELP UNDERSTAFFED NEXT SHIFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 727180: IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO REMAIN SHARP AND FOCUSED FOR OVER 2 HRS NO LESS 4. STAFFING HAS BEEN CUT TO BARE MINIMUMS AND NO ONE IN MGMNT IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 727181: ACFT #1 WAS SHOWN AT FL390 IN OCEANIC ENVIRONMENT WITH TFC BEHIND BY 3 MINS AND 3 MACH FASTER. ACFT #1 WAS TOLD TO CLB TO FL400. FORTUNATELY; HE WAS UNABLE. ACFT #1 WAS ACTUALLY AT FL350 WITH TFC AT FL360; FL370 AND FL390 DIRECTLY OVERHEAD. AT THE TIME OF THIS OCCURRENCE WE HAD EXTREMELY HVY TFC. TIME ON POS WAS 4+ HRS. THE ONLY REASON WE DID NOT HAVE A MIDAIR IS DUE TO PURE LUCK AND THE FACT THE B767 WAS NOT ABLE HIGHER.

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.