Date: 201604
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZLC.ARTCC, UT
Flight conditions: Marginal
Light: Night
Aircraft: Small Transport; Low Wing; 2 Recip Eng
Operator: Air Taxi
Operating under: Part 135
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class E ZLC
ATC / advisory: Center ZLC
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Enroute
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness
Second reporter function: Enroute
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Contributing factors: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure; Weather
Primary problem: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings

Narrative: Aircraft X was in level flight. There was weather between them and their destination that other aircraft had to deviate around earlier in the night. I issued the weather; and even though the pilot didn't see the weather; he still requested to deviate. We typically lose radar on aircraft at or below 12000 feet in this area and he was level at 8000 feet; but later requested 10000 feet. We had just been briefed earlier that we cannot issue weather deviations to non-radar aircraft. I was very worried that we would lose the aircraft on radar and I would have to declare an emergency on his behalf. This situation occupied my attention and while nothing unsafe happened; I would have been extremely distracted as I had an 'emergency in the making.' I was relieved from the sector before the aircraft went non-radar; so I'm not sure how this situation ended.There was nothing unsafe in the way we used to assign direct routes in non-radar situations; we need a waiver or something like that to let us give pilots what they need (point to point direct clearances; ability to deviate around weather non-radar; ability to give direct clearances while non-radar e.g. initial approach fixes or fixes to avoid military airspace.) With our rapidly deteriorating staffing situation; I'm not sure that we'll have the staffing during the summer to properly handle these situations.


Second narrative: Today we were told in a briefing that if an aircraft is not in radar coverage and needs a deviation for weather we need to [give special attention to] that aircraft. I was working Aircraft X at 8000 feet on radar. They asked for a left deviation which I approved then they asked for 7000 feet so I descended them to 7000 feet. At about 7500 feet I lost Aircraft X on radar. I told the supervisor that I was [taking special attention] for Aircraft X because he was nonradar and deviating. Two or three minutes went by and he said he was done deviating.


Synopsis: ZLC ARTCC mandated that controllers cannot approve weather deviations for aircraft not in radar coverage unless the aircraft is given special attention.