Date: 201605
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZKC.ARTCC, KS
Flight conditions: Marginal
Weather elements / visibility: Thunderstorm
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class A ZKC
ATC / advisory: Center ZKC
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Enroute
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Workload
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Contributing factors: Staffing
Primary problem: Staffing

Narrative: Ozark Area had weather from the start of the shift. We started with 11 CPC's however our FLM left for a class so we needed to utilize a CIC. By the time I started working on sector 31 we had 20 Miles in Trail (MIT) for DFW and a line of weather running through the middle of our area. On multiple occasions; every CPC on the shift was working; no one on break. Ozark was required to get 20 MIT by the ZME boundary; however we were getting DFW arrivals from every direction and many aircraft were deviating around the weather. It was extremely difficult for us to meet all of our requirements at that time and keep everyone safe. There were occasions where we were told to reroute a/c for the weather; for TMU restrictions and for other sectors that have been alerted. I called ZME at one point and told them that we were having a difficult time getting out 20 MIT and asked for relief. They were more than willing to accommodate us. This is a phone call that TMU should have been making. Every sector at the time in Ozark was very busy. We shouldn't have to override TMU and do sector to sector coordination in these situations. Later; I spoke with other controllers from other areas and they said that they were having similar problems. This is an unsafe and inefficient situation that shouldn't have happened in the first place. Also; we had another supervisor that was assigned to RIVERS Area across the aisle. They were not as busy and had the same staffing. A controller from Rivers actually recommended that the FLM go back to our area to help and to put a CIC in charge because Ozark was swamped and he said; 'no; they'll be fine.' This is unacceptable.TMU needs to be held more accountable. Saying; 'we need 20 MIT' isn't an acceptable answer when we have weather and a high volume of traffic. TMU needs to be more proactive in helping its fellow controllers at ZKC. Problems like this happen more often than not with our TMU. Also; the OM should have had more of a hand in the situation. He even came in to the area at one point and just stood behind the controllers. Either come in to offer help or don't come in. This only makes the controllers uncomfortable and diverts their attention. I recommend that the OM be more involved. He should have told the FLM to put a CIC in at Rivers and go work in Ozark until the traffic died down. Or; pull the other supervisor from training and have him work the desk. TMU should have realized that Ozark was over their heads and helped by getting us relief on our in trail requirements or told our surrounding sectors to start in trail or moved a/c out of Ozark. OT should have been called. We need TMU/OM to 'have our backs' and they didn't.




Synopsis: ZKC ARTCC controller's sectors experienced numerous weather deviations and an excessive amount of complex traffic. The supervisors were out of the area doing administrative duties and the Traffic Management Unit was not taking any action to restrict the traffic into the affected sectors.