Narrative:

I plugged into a busy sector. We did not have staffing to open the ultrahigh. My airspace was FL240 and above. Rides were bad, aircraft were requesting changes. There were a lot of aircraft swbound across my arrival fix, so getting ATC arrs down was tough. Aircraft #1 was on an 80 degree heading, but was traffic for someone else. Aircraft #2 was northeast of rmg and bhm, but I could not get him down because of other traffic. I turned aircraft #1 direct rmg, thinking he would go behind aircraft #2. The wind was strong out of west to northwest. I had at least 3 other sits that needed attention. When I realized what was happening, aircraft #1's mode C showed FL284. I told him to 'maintain FL290 and climb back up if you go through it.' I then immediately descended aircraft #2 to FL240 'say altitude leaving,' which he replied 'out of FL280.' at once I told aircraft #2 to maintain FL280, but aircraft #2 had gone through FL277. Factors affecting quality of human performance: 1) not enough staffing to safely run the operation. The ultrahigh should have been open. The supervisor asked for overtime, but was only authority/authorized 1. C) normal required staffing is 15, total on duty controllers was 10. 2) my decision to not shut everyone off around me could have been a factor, but it is not my nature to shut down the NAS unless absolutely needed. Corrective actions: 1) staff the area adequately. 2) open sectors in a timely manner. 3) have tmu manage the traffic better. Tmu called to tell the supervisor we were going to be busy, but did nothing to move aircraft out of the sector.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPENING A SECTOR, ZTL CTLR MISJUDGES WINDS ALOFT WHEN ISSUING SEPARATION CLRNC FOR 2 DSNDING ACR'S RESULTING IN AN OPERROR.

Narrative: I PLUGGED INTO A BUSY SECTOR. WE DID NOT HAVE STAFFING TO OPEN THE ULTRAHIGH. MY AIRSPACE WAS FL240 AND ABOVE. RIDES WERE BAD, ACFT WERE REQUESTING CHANGES. THERE WERE A LOT OF ACFT SWBOUND ACROSS MY ARR FIX, SO GETTING ATC ARRS DOWN WAS TOUGH. ACFT #1 WAS ON AN 80 DEG HDG, BUT WAS TFC FOR SOMEONE ELSE. ACFT #2 WAS NE OF RMG AND BHM, BUT I COULD NOT GET HIM DOWN BECAUSE OF OTHER TFC. I TURNED ACFT #1 DIRECT RMG, THINKING HE WOULD GO BEHIND ACFT #2. THE WIND WAS STRONG OUT OF W TO NW. I HAD AT LEAST 3 OTHER SITS THAT NEEDED ATTN. WHEN I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING, ACFT #1'S MODE C SHOWED FL284. I TOLD HIM TO 'MAINTAIN FL290 AND CLB BACK UP IF YOU GO THROUGH IT.' I THEN IMMEDIATELY DSNDED ACFT #2 TO FL240 'SAY ALT LEAVING,' WHICH HE REPLIED 'OUT OF FL280.' AT ONCE I TOLD ACFT #2 TO MAINTAIN FL280, BUT ACFT #2 HAD GONE THROUGH FL277. FACTORS AFFECTING QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE: 1) NOT ENOUGH STAFFING TO SAFELY RUN THE OP. THE ULTRAHIGH SHOULD HAVE BEEN OPEN. THE SUPVR ASKED FOR OVERTIME, BUT WAS ONLY AUTH 1. C) NORMAL REQUIRED STAFFING IS 15, TOTAL ON DUTY CTLRS WAS 10. 2) MY DECISION TO NOT SHUT EVERYONE OFF AROUND ME COULD HAVE BEEN A FACTOR, BUT IT IS NOT MY NATURE TO SHUT DOWN THE NAS UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: 1) STAFF THE AREA ADEQUATELY. 2) OPEN SECTORS IN A TIMELY MANNER. 3) HAVE TMU MANAGE THE TFC BETTER. TMU CALLED TO TELL THE SUPVR WE WERE GOING TO BE BUSY, BUT DID NOTHING TO MOVE ACFT OUT OF THE SECTOR.

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.