Narrative:

The proximity event occurred while I was working an extra (8 hour) shift in addition to my normal 5 day/40 hour work week. This was the second week of 3 consecutive 6 day work weeks. There was additional complexity to the traffic due to significant WX/thunderstorms in the area. A request had been made for additional staffing on this shift for WX; but had been denied. I was working all of ozark specialty area (7 sectors -- including low altitude; high altitude; and ultra-high altitude stratums) combined at 1 scope. There were 3 significant areas of WX affecting my airspace and traffic: 1) between mci and anx with moderate-extreme ppt; no tops reports; but aircraft deviations between FL300-FL360. 2) just north of sgf with moderate-extreme ppt; tops on the east reported at FL400; tops on the west reported at FL360; with multiple deviations. 3) between stl and fam 210 040 with moderate-extreme ppt; somewhat scattered; no tops reports; but multiple deviations. At the time of the proximity event; I was working between 15-17 aircraft with numerous deviations around the aforementioned WX. Aircraft 2 checked on at FL320 requesting deviations around the WX near sgf. Advised aircraft 2 to stand by as he was still in ZME airspace. Aircraft 1 checked on climbing to FL340. Once inside my airspace; aircraft 2 was cleared to deviate up to 20 degrees right for WX. Aircraft 2 requested to deviate on the south side of the WX. Aircraft was then cleared to deviate up to 20 degrees left for WX. Aircraft 1's altitude was then amended to FL310 only for possible conflictions with aircraft 2 and expect higher shortly. I put up a j-ring on aircraft 1. After a few mins; aircraft 2 advised he was through deviating and back on course. After dealing with a few other deviation requests; I re-evaluated a possible climb for aircraft 1. The j-ring was still up for aircraft 1 and the 2 aircraft appeared to be about 12 mi apart and on parallel courses. Aircraft 1 was reissued a climb to FL340. At sgf; aircraft 1 began a turn of approximately 50 degrees to lmn. Noticing the significant turn; I immediately issued vectors to each aircraft. Aircraft 1 was issued a turn of 20 degrees left but failed to respond. Aircraft 2 was then issued to expedite a turn of 20 degrees right. Aircraft 1 was reissued to expedite a turn 20 degrees left for traffic. Aircraft 2 was then issued to immediately turn an additional 30 degrees right. Per esat; the loss of separation occurred with 4.85 mi being the closest distance of aircraft 1 and aircraft 2. Contributing factors: WX; aircraft deviations; unusual rtes with significant turns due to WX; staffing; and use of vectors lines instead of route lines. An additional person on the shift was warranted due to the complexity of the traffic and WX. Human factors: I was tired. I was busy with WX ppt calls and deviations and had not noticed that aircraft 1 would make a significant turn (approximately 50 degrees) at sgf. I used vectors lines instead of rtes lines in my evaluation of the situation. Corrective actions: I applied immediate vectors to ensure safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZKC CTLR DESCRIBED CONFLICT EVENT AT FL320; BUSY TFC; FATIGUE; COMBINED POSITIONS; MULTIPLE WX DEVS AND STAFFING LISTED AS CONTRIBUTORY.

Narrative: THE PROX EVENT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS WORKING AN EXTRA (8 HR) SHIFT IN ADDITION TO MY NORMAL 5 DAY/40 HR WORK WK. THIS WAS THE SECOND WK OF 3 CONSECUTIVE 6 DAY WORK WKS. THERE WAS ADDITIONAL COMPLEXITY TO THE TFC DUE TO SIGNIFICANT WX/TSTMS IN THE AREA. A REQUEST HAD BEEN MADE FOR ADDITIONAL STAFFING ON THIS SHIFT FOR WX; BUT HAD BEEN DENIED. I WAS WORKING ALL OF OZARK SPECIALTY AREA (7 SECTORS -- INCLUDING LOW ALT; HIGH ALT; AND ULTRA-HIGH ALT STRATUMS) COMBINED AT 1 SCOPE. THERE WERE 3 SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF WX AFFECTING MY AIRSPACE AND TFC: 1) BTWN MCI AND ANX WITH MODERATE-EXTREME PPT; NO TOPS RPTS; BUT ACFT DEVS BTWN FL300-FL360. 2) JUST N OF SGF WITH MODERATE-EXTREME PPT; TOPS ON THE E RPTED AT FL400; TOPS ON THE W RPTED AT FL360; WITH MULTIPLE DEVS. 3) BTWN STL AND FAM 210 040 WITH MODERATE-EXTREME PPT; SOMEWHAT SCATTERED; NO TOPS RPTS; BUT MULTIPLE DEVS. AT THE TIME OF THE PROX EVENT; I WAS WORKING BTWN 15-17 ACFT WITH NUMEROUS DEVS AROUND THE AFOREMENTIONED WX. ACFT 2 CHKED ON AT FL320 REQUESTING DEVS AROUND THE WX NEAR SGF. ADVISED ACFT 2 TO STAND BY AS HE WAS STILL IN ZME AIRSPACE. ACFT 1 CHKED ON CLBING TO FL340. ONCE INSIDE MY AIRSPACE; ACFT 2 WAS CLRED TO DEVIATE UP TO 20 DEGS R FOR WX. ACFT 2 REQUESTED TO DEVIATE ON THE S SIDE OF THE WX. ACFT WAS THEN CLRED TO DEVIATE UP TO 20 DEGS L FOR WX. ACFT 1'S ALT WAS THEN AMENDED TO FL310 ONLY FOR POSSIBLE CONFLICTIONS WITH ACFT 2 AND EXPECT HIGHER SHORTLY. I PUT UP A J-RING ON ACFT 1. AFTER A FEW MINS; ACFT 2 ADVISED HE WAS THROUGH DEVIATING AND BACK ON COURSE. AFTER DEALING WITH A FEW OTHER DEV REQUESTS; I RE-EVALUATED A POSSIBLE CLB FOR ACFT 1. THE J-RING WAS STILL UP FOR ACFT 1 AND THE 2 ACFT APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 12 MI APART AND ON PARALLEL COURSES. ACFT 1 WAS REISSUED A CLB TO FL340. AT SGF; ACFT 1 BEGAN A TURN OF APPROX 50 DEGS TO LMN. NOTICING THE SIGNIFICANT TURN; I IMMEDIATELY ISSUED VECTORS TO EACH ACFT. ACFT 1 WAS ISSUED A TURN OF 20 DEGS L BUT FAILED TO RESPOND. ACFT 2 WAS THEN ISSUED TO EXPEDITE A TURN OF 20 DEGS R. ACFT 1 WAS REISSUED TO EXPEDITE A TURN 20 DEGS L FOR TFC. ACFT 2 WAS THEN ISSUED TO IMMEDIATELY TURN AN ADDITIONAL 30 DEGS R. PER ESAT; THE LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED WITH 4.85 MI BEING THE CLOSEST DISTANCE OF ACFT 1 AND ACFT 2. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WX; ACFT DEVS; UNUSUAL RTES WITH SIGNIFICANT TURNS DUE TO WX; STAFFING; AND USE OF VECTORS LINES INSTEAD OF RTE LINES. AN ADDITIONAL PERSON ON THE SHIFT WAS WARRANTED DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THE TFC AND WX. HUMAN FACTORS: I WAS TIRED. I WAS BUSY WITH WX PPT CALLS AND DEVS AND HAD NOT NOTICED THAT ACFT 1 WOULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT TURN (APPROX 50 DEGS) AT SGF. I USED VECTORS LINES INSTEAD OF RTES LINES IN MY EVALUATION OF THE SITUATION. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: I APPLIED IMMEDIATE VECTORS TO ENSURE SAFETY.

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.