Aircraft deviating for WX come in close proximity. Controller action to separate them too late.

Attributes
ACN	179762
Time
Date	199106
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sbv
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tracon : slc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	179762
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24600 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

2 thunderstorm areas affecting all major traffic flows in the sector. All aircraft were deviating off course. Several requested altitude changes, also. Attention was concentrated on clt arrs with inadequate flow spacing and deviating. Air carrier X overflt deviated southeast of course and mlt Y deviated southeast of course, filed rtes never crossed. C/a activated and I issued clearance to air carrier X to turn left heading 090 degrees, away from WX. He didn't acknowledge. I issued clearance to air carrier X to descend to 28000'. He acknowledged. I immediately also issued clearance to mlt Y to climb to 33000'. He acknowledged. Air carrier X then asked for climb rather than descent. I responded in the negative, 'traffic, descend now.' he acknowledged. They were descending. With attention on clt arrs, I didn't see the extent of mlt Y deviation early enough to change altitudes sooner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DEVIATING FOR WX COME IN CLOSE PROX. CTLR ACTION TO SEPARATE THEM TOO LATE.

Narrative: 2 TSTM AREAS AFFECTING ALL MAJOR TFC FLOWS IN THE SECTOR. ALL ACFT WERE DEVIATING OFF COURSE. SEVERAL REQUESTED ALT CHANGES, ALSO. ATTN WAS CONCENTRATED ON CLT ARRS WITH INADEQUATE FLOW SPACING AND DEVIATING. ACR X OVERFLT DEVIATED SE OF COURSE AND MLT Y DEVIATED SE OF COURSE, FILED RTES NEVER CROSSED. C/A ACTIVATED AND I ISSUED CLRNC TO ACR X TO TURN LEFT HDG 090 DEGS, AWAY FROM WX. HE DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE. I ISSUED CLRNC TO ACR X TO DSND TO 28000'. HE ACKNOWLEDGED. I IMMEDIATELY ALSO ISSUED CLRNC TO MLT Y TO CLB TO 33000'. HE ACKNOWLEDGED. ACR X THEN ASKED FOR CLB RATHER THAN DSNT. I RESPONDED IN THE NEGATIVE, 'TFC, DSND NOW.' HE ACKNOWLEDGED. THEY WERE DSNDING. WITH ATTN ON CLT ARRS, I DIDN'T SEE THE EXTENT OF MLT Y DEVIATION EARLY ENOUGH TO CHANGE ALTS SOONER.

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.