A ZME front line manager (flm) reported of a loss of separation due to an aircraft getting a mountai...

Attributes
ACN	1338417
Time
Date	201603
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZME.ARTCC
State Reference	TN
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Light Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Supervisor / CIC
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 9
Events
Anomaly	Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence

Narrative:

R19 was staffed with only an r-side controller; and the traffic was moderate and building. Rides were terrible and the frequency congestion because of such was high. The workload was moderately busy when an aircraft advised he was descending for traffic. I asked if the aircraft that called was aircraft Y because I observed his altitude now FL380-FL377. The next transmission was from aircraft X who informed me that he was descending for traffic above that had lost altitude. It all made sense now and I told aircraft X that the traffic was passing laterally 2 miles and then questioned aircraft Y to say altitude. Aircraft Y responded that he encountered 'mountain wave' and lost altitude. I informed the supervisor and the aircraft returned to their assigned altitudes. Weather phenomena led to the loss of separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A ZME Front Line Manager (FLM) reported of a loss of separation due to an aircraft getting a mountain wave and descending. The other aircraft first reported to ATC that they were descending for traffic.

Narrative: R19 was staffed with only an R-side controller; and the traffic was moderate and building. Rides were terrible and the frequency congestion because of such was high. The workload was moderately busy when an aircraft advised he was descending for traffic. I asked if the aircraft that called was Aircraft Y because I observed his altitude now FL380-FL377. The next transmission was from Aircraft X who informed me that he was descending for traffic above that had lost altitude. It all made sense now and I told Aircraft X that the traffic was passing laterally 2 miles and then questioned Aircraft Y to say altitude. Aircraft Y responded that he encountered 'mountain wave' and lost altitude. I informed the supervisor and the aircraft returned to their assigned altitudes. Weather phenomena led to the loss of separation.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

A ZME front line manager (flm) reported of a loss of separation due to an aircraft getting a mountain wave and descending. The other aircraft first reported to ATC that they were descending for traffic.