Narrative:

I was working jbr lo, a departure sector from mem. Jbr lo and fcy lo were combined, and there were thunderstorms in the area. I was working approximately 15 departures from mem and several other aircraft. Air carrier X departed little rock and I climbed him to FL230 on a 050 degree heading. Shortly after this air carrier Y was pointed out to me as deviating on a 300 degree heading. I approved a pointout on that heading climbing to FL230. Approximately 2 mins later I was informed that Y was going to deviate on a 260 degree heading. I advised radar contact in order to work the aircraft. When I established communication with Y I stopped him at FL210. At this time both aircraft were leaving FL200. I also told Y to fly heading 270 degrees. After several other xmissions I told air carrier X to expedite climb through FL220. Air carrier Y requested to turn left 'right now' due to WX. I approved this thinking X would top Y. When I saw this would not work I attempted to vector Y, but the pilot would not answer me. I then attempted to vector X and also could not talk to him. After 35 seconds I established communication with Y, and he informed me he did not want to turn, but he would. If he had turned when I first vectored him there would not have been an operational error. He did hear me the first time because he questioned the heading 35 seconds later, but by then it was too late.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 ACR. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING JBR LO, A DEP SECTOR FROM MEM. JBR LO AND FCY LO WERE COMBINED, AND THERE WERE TSTMS IN THE AREA. I WAS WORKING APPROX 15 DEPS FROM MEM AND SEVERAL OTHER ACFT. ACR X DEPARTED LITTLE ROCK AND I CLBED HIM TO FL230 ON A 050 DEG HDG. SHORTLY AFTER THIS ACR Y WAS POINTED OUT TO ME AS DEVIATING ON A 300 DEG HDG. I APPROVED A POINTOUT ON THAT HDG CLBING TO FL230. APPROX 2 MINS LATER I WAS INFORMED THAT Y WAS GOING TO DEVIATE ON A 260 DEG HDG. I ADVISED RADAR CONTACT IN ORDER TO WORK THE ACFT. WHEN I ESTABLISHED COM WITH Y I STOPPED HIM AT FL210. AT THIS TIME BOTH ACFT WERE LEAVING FL200. I ALSO TOLD Y TO FLY HDG 270 DEGS. AFTER SEVERAL OTHER XMISSIONS I TOLD ACR X TO EXPEDITE CLB THROUGH FL220. ACR Y REQUESTED TO TURN LEFT 'RIGHT NOW' DUE TO WX. I APPROVED THIS THINKING X WOULD TOP Y. WHEN I SAW THIS WOULD NOT WORK I ATTEMPTED TO VECTOR Y, BUT THE PLT WOULD NOT ANSWER ME. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO VECTOR X AND ALSO COULD NOT TALK TO HIM. AFTER 35 SECS I ESTABLISHED COM WITH Y, AND HE INFORMED ME HE DID NOT WANT TO TURN, BUT HE WOULD. IF HE HAD TURNED WHEN I FIRST VECTORED HIM THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AN OPERROR. HE DID HEAR ME THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE HE QUESTIONED THE HDG 35 SECS LATER, BUT BY THEN IT WAS TOO LATE.

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