Narrative:

11 aircraft on scope. Communication with 9 aircraft. 3 departures off of tvc within 3-6 mins. Moderate to extreme precipitation in southeast corner of sector causing aircraft to deviate. No d-side. Called for a d-side. Extreme WX conditions. Many held for overtime; no overtime proactively called in. I was about 1 hour into my time at the sector after a 44 min break. I continued to work for the rest of the evening with minimal break. Total break time for the shift: 1 hour 14 mins for a 9 hour shift. No dinner. Learjet came over at FL220 and I issued a pilot's discretion descent over the top of 16000 ft traffic (descending for tvc). The air carrier came over descending to FL240 about 7-8 mi in trail (also inbound to tvc). I issued air carrier a straight descent to FL180. Altimeters were low; so I amended and gave FL190. The learjet did not start down but air carrier did and overtaking the learjet. Underneath the two was an SF34 at 16000 ft. Because of data block overlap and putting the wrong interim in on the air carrier; I saw the air carrier at the same altitude as the learjet; even though he wasn't. The learjet now stopped at FL200 5 mi from air carrier which I just gave a climb to FL200. Realizing the problem; I immediately gave air carrier another descent to FL190 to separate the two. Loss of separation may have happened at this time (4.8 - 5.2). Conflict alert did go off and a j-ring was present. I understand and learned from the series that led to this possible loss of separation. Staffing was short the entire shift. Limited breaks; no dinner breaks; and mandatory overtime can all lead to possible errors in this volatile work environment. I believe that improper staffing contributed to this possible occurrence and others during the evening.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZMP CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT APPROX FL200 WHEN DESCENDING TFC THROUGH OCCUPIED AIRSPACE; LISTING WX AND STAFFING AS CAUSAL FACTORS.

Narrative: 11 ACFT ON SCOPE. COM WITH 9 ACFT. 3 DEPS OFF OF TVC WITHIN 3-6 MINS. MODERATE TO EXTREME PRECIP IN SE CORNER OF SECTOR CAUSING ACFT TO DEVIATE. NO D-SIDE. CALLED FOR A D-SIDE. EXTREME WX CONDITIONS. MANY HELD FOR OVERTIME; NO OVERTIME PROACTIVELY CALLED IN. I WAS ABOUT 1 HR INTO MY TIME AT THE SECTOR AFTER A 44 MIN BREAK. I CONTINUED TO WORK FOR THE REST OF THE EVENING WITH MINIMAL BREAK. TOTAL BREAK TIME FOR THE SHIFT: 1 HR 14 MINS FOR A 9 HR SHIFT. NO DINNER. LEARJET CAME OVER AT FL220 AND I ISSUED A PLT'S DISCRETION DSCNT OVER THE TOP OF 16000 FT TFC (DSNDING FOR TVC). THE ACR CAME OVER DSNDING TO FL240 ABOUT 7-8 MI IN TRAIL (ALSO INBOUND TO TVC). I ISSUED ACR A STRAIGHT DSCNT TO FL180. ALTIMETERS WERE LOW; SO I AMENDED AND GAVE FL190. THE LEARJET DID NOT START DOWN BUT ACR DID AND OVERTAKING THE LEARJET. UNDERNEATH THE TWO WAS AN SF34 AT 16000 FT. BECAUSE OF DATA BLOCK OVERLAP AND PUTTING THE WRONG INTERIM IN ON THE ACR; I SAW THE ACR AT THE SAME ALT AS THE LEARJET; EVEN THOUGH HE WASN'T. THE LEARJET NOW STOPPED AT FL200 5 MI FROM ACR WHICH I JUST GAVE A CLB TO FL200. REALIZING THE PROB; I IMMEDIATELY GAVE ACR ANOTHER DSCNT TO FL190 TO SEPARATE THE TWO. LOSS OF SEPARATION MAY HAVE HAPPENED AT THIS TIME (4.8 - 5.2). CONFLICT ALERT DID GO OFF AND A J-RING WAS PRESENT. I UNDERSTAND AND LEARNED FROM THE SERIES THAT LED TO THIS POSSIBLE LOSS OF SEPARATION. STAFFING WAS SHORT THE ENTIRE SHIFT. LIMITED BREAKS; NO DINNER BREAKS; AND MANDATORY OVERTIME CAN ALL LEAD TO POSSIBLE ERRORS IN THIS VOLATILE WORK ENVIRONMENT. I BELIEVE THAT IMPROPER STAFFING CONTRIBUTED TO THIS POSSIBLE OCCURRENCE AND OTHERS DURING THE EVENING.

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.