ZAU controller details situation that led to operational error. Contributing factors are sector traffic volume, lack of flow control and WX deviations.

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Attributes
ACN	522670
Time
Date	200108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zau.artcc
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 17 controller time certified in position1 : 16
ASRS Report	522670
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 20400 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Weather FAA Airport Airspace Structure Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : zau.artcc

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.

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.