APCH RADAR CTLR AT RIC WORKING COMBINED POS ALLOWED ACR TO CLB THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT.

Narrative

WHILE WORKING COMBINED POS ON RIC RADAR COATT SECTOR; FAK SECTOR; FINAL CTLR. ACR X ADVISED HE HAD DSNDED 1000 FT TO AVOID TFC. THE PROB AROSE WHEN WORKING COMBINED I TRIED TO GET HIGHER FROM ZDC VIA LAND LINE AND THERE WAS NO ANSWER TO THE CALL. I TURNED AND CLBED THE ACFT AND THOUGHT TO MYSELF I WOULD TRY AGAIN TO GET THE CTR. I WAS THEN DISTRACTED BY OTHER DUTIES INCLUDING SEQUENCING TFC TO FINAL RWY 20 AND 2 ACFT TO BRV VOR IN-TRAIL LNDG IAD. MY INSTINCT WHEN I FIRST SIGNED ON TO THESE COMBINED POS WAS TO ASK FOR A FINAL CTLR; I DID NOT. MY INSTINCT WHEN I DID NOT GET AN ANSWER FROM THE CTR; WAS TO ASSIGN ACR X 8000 FT OR TURN TO A 250 DEG HDG. I DID NOT DO THIS. TO CORRECT THIS SIT FROM RECURRING; THE POS SHOULD NOT BE COMBINED OR HELP SHOULD BE REQUESTED. AT RIC; STAFFING OFFICE DOES NOT ALLOW FOR HELP AND WE HAVE BECOME USED TO JUST DOING IT. TO CORRECT THIS SIT; I SHOULD LISTEN TO THAT VOICE THAT TOLD ME TO STOP THEN CLB OR VECTOR AND NOT COUNT ON SETTING BACK TO THE CTR FOR HIGHER. STAFFING TO ALLOW MORE POS TO BE OPEN ON A REGULAR BASIS WOULD HELP.