Narrative:

I was working departure radar (east and west combined). Additional position open were satellite (north and south combined) and arrival (with final combined to it). The wind was strong out of the east; putting us on an east flow -- nonstandard for our facility. The P32R was a departure from mci wbound to sln (filed for 6000 ft but later requested a change to 4000 ft) and the PA32 was a departure from ojc (an airport south of mci) slated to exit the airspace through our northwest departure gate at 8000 ft. The investigation showed I had 11 airplanes at the time. XA11: P32R departed mci and checked on leaving 1800 ft for 4000 ft on a 140 degree heading (our standard propeller departure altitude and heading for east flow) -- PA32 checked on at 3000 ft on a 330 degree heading (handoff from satellite). I climbed the PA32 to 6000 ft first; then I acknowledged the P32R and reaffirmed 4000 ft. I turned the P32R south to avoid mkc airspace. XA13: I issued the PA32 a 360 degree heading (vector around mci arrival airspace and departure corridor). I issued the P32R a 220 degree heading thinking the wind would push him further west; crossing the flight path of the PA32; but still avoiding arrival airspace to the west (training in progress on a busy arrival session). XA16: I noticed the 2 aircraft getting close and that the PA32 was only climbing out of 4200 ft. I turned the P32R right to a 300 degree heading. Collision alert alarmed during pilot's readback. I turned the PA32 right to a 090 degree heading. Traffic was exchanged; both aircraft replied with 'looking' (it was hazy). My intent was to put the aircraft on crossing courses instead of converging courses; so the P32R would be west of the PA32. My headings (220 degrees and 360 degrees) were conservative; so I could see the effects of the wind and adjust as necessary. I was trying to avoid arrival airspace and the mci departure corridor. I also thought the PA32 would climb above the P32R. The P32R had to climb 2200 ft to reach 4000 ft while the PA32 had to climb 2000 ft to reach 5000 ft (1000 ft separation). Over 4 mins passed from the time I issued the PA32 a climb (3000 ft to 6000 ft) to when I noticed the error. I had planned to monitor the situation and adjust as necessary; but I got busy with other traffic and coordination; and didn't get back to this situation in time. All 3 position were working busy traffic in a rarely used/difficult flow for long periods of time (I was previously on satellite for 2 hours 19 mins). Satellite told the supervisor they needed help; so the supervisor's attention went to assisting that position. We didn't have enough people to split out position when necessary; so I believe staffing was a contributing factor.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MCI CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR ATTEMPTING TO VECTOR ONE ACFT BEHIND ANOTHER AT 4000; CITING WINDS ALOFT AS A FACTOR IN THE EVENT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING DEP RADAR (E AND W COMBINED). ADDITIONAL POS OPEN WERE SATELLITE (N AND S COMBINED) AND ARR (WITH FINAL COMBINED TO IT). THE WIND WAS STRONG OUT OF THE E; PUTTING US ON AN E FLOW -- NONSTANDARD FOR OUR FACILITY. THE P32R WAS A DEP FROM MCI WBOUND TO SLN (FILED FOR 6000 FT BUT LATER REQUESTED A CHANGE TO 4000 FT) AND THE PA32 WAS A DEP FROM OJC (AN ARPT S OF MCI) SLATED TO EXIT THE AIRSPACE THROUGH OUR NW DEP GATE AT 8000 FT. THE INVESTIGATION SHOWED I HAD 11 AIRPLANES AT THE TIME. XA11: P32R DEPARTED MCI AND CHKED ON LEAVING 1800 FT FOR 4000 FT ON A 140 DEG HDG (OUR STANDARD PROP DEP ALT AND HDG FOR E FLOW) -- PA32 CHKED ON AT 3000 FT ON A 330 DEG HDG (HDOF FROM SATELLITE). I CLBED THE PA32 TO 6000 FT FIRST; THEN I ACKNOWLEDGED THE P32R AND REAFFIRMED 4000 FT. I TURNED THE P32R S TO AVOID MKC AIRSPACE. XA13: I ISSUED THE PA32 A 360 DEG HDG (VECTOR AROUND MCI ARR AIRSPACE AND DEP CORRIDOR). I ISSUED THE P32R A 220 DEG HDG THINKING THE WIND WOULD PUSH HIM FURTHER W; XING THE FLT PATH OF THE PA32; BUT STILL AVOIDING ARR AIRSPACE TO THE W (TRAINING IN PROGRESS ON A BUSY ARR SESSION). XA16: I NOTICED THE 2 ACFT GETTING CLOSE AND THAT THE PA32 WAS ONLY CLBING OUT OF 4200 FT. I TURNED THE P32R R TO A 300 DEG HDG. COLLISION ALERT ALARMED DURING PLT'S READBACK. I TURNED THE PA32 R TO A 090 DEG HDG. TFC WAS EXCHANGED; BOTH ACFT REPLIED WITH 'LOOKING' (IT WAS HAZY). MY INTENT WAS TO PUT THE ACFT ON XING COURSES INSTEAD OF CONVERGING COURSES; SO THE P32R WOULD BE W OF THE PA32. MY HDGS (220 DEGS AND 360 DEGS) WERE CONSERVATIVE; SO I COULD SEE THE EFFECTS OF THE WIND AND ADJUST AS NECESSARY. I WAS TRYING TO AVOID ARR AIRSPACE AND THE MCI DEP CORRIDOR. I ALSO THOUGHT THE PA32 WOULD CLB ABOVE THE P32R. THE P32R HAD TO CLB 2200 FT TO REACH 4000 FT WHILE THE PA32 HAD TO CLB 2000 FT TO REACH 5000 FT (1000 FT SEPARATION). OVER 4 MINS PASSED FROM THE TIME I ISSUED THE PA32 A CLB (3000 FT TO 6000 FT) TO WHEN I NOTICED THE ERROR. I HAD PLANNED TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND ADJUST AS NECESSARY; BUT I GOT BUSY WITH OTHER TFC AND COORD; AND DIDN'T GET BACK TO THIS SITUATION IN TIME. ALL 3 POS WERE WORKING BUSY TFC IN A RARELY USED/DIFFICULT FLOW FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME (I WAS PREVIOUSLY ON SATELLITE FOR 2 HRS 19 MINS). SATELLITE TOLD THE SUPVR THEY NEEDED HELP; SO THE SUPVR'S ATTN WENT TO ASSISTING THAT POS. WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO SPLIT OUT POS WHEN NECESSARY; SO I BELIEVE STAFFING WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.