Narrative:

Air carrier X was inbound to mdw from over kansas city. Air carrier Y was off ord going to texas. Air carrier X was given a clearance from FL320 to FL330, which put him in conflict with air carrier Y. I turned air carrier X to a 000 degree heading and told him to level off, knowing I would not keep separation, but would keep them from being a midair. We had thunderstorms in the area and a total lack of flow control. I was working 35-40 aircraft at the time, with deviations and many intrail problems to both mdw and ord. In addition to this, we had the chicago area airports being flushed out wbound, head-on with all the inbounds. We had no place to go with anyone. In addition to first incident, 2 other air carrier's also lost separation less than 1 min later. This one was wiped out by management as a non occurrence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAU CTLR DETAILS SIT THAT LED TO OPERROR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE SECTOR TFC VOLUME, LACK OF FLOW CTL AND WX DEVS.

Narrative: ACR X WAS INBOUND TO MDW FROM OVER KANSAS CITY. ACR Y WAS OFF ORD GOING TO TEXAS. ACR X WAS GIVEN A CLRNC FROM FL320 TO FL330, WHICH PUT HIM IN CONFLICT WITH ACR Y. I TURNED ACR X TO A 000 DEG HDG AND TOLD HIM TO LEVEL OFF, KNOWING I WOULD NOT KEEP SEPARATION, BUT WOULD KEEP THEM FROM BEING A MIDAIR. WE HAD TSTMS IN THE AREA AND A TOTAL LACK OF FLOW CTL. I WAS WORKING 35-40 ACFT AT THE TIME, WITH DEVS AND MANY INTRAIL PROBS TO BOTH MDW AND ORD. IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE HAD THE CHICAGO AREA ARPTS BEING FLUSHED OUT WBOUND, HEAD-ON WITH ALL THE INBOUNDS. WE HAD NO PLACE TO GO WITH ANYONE. IN ADDITION TO FIRST INCIDENT, 2 OTHER ACR'S ALSO LOST SEPARATION LESS THAN 1 MIN LATER. THIS ONE WAS WIPED OUT BY MGMNT AS A NON OCCURRENCE.

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.