Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 20
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Weather
Aircraft X was at 11;000 feet and asked for 12;000 feet to climb over weather. He wasn't able to level at 12;000 feet and asked to descend to 9;000 feet. Opposite direction traffic was level at 10;000 feet and was inside of TLH Approach Control. It was handed off to me and asking for a climb to 12;000 feet. The aircraft were head on and approximately 5 miles apart. Aircraft X leveled at 11;000 feet and demanded 9;000 feet for weather. I called traffic at 10;000 feet and head on.Aircraft X advised he was descending without ATC clearance because of weather. I advised the Aircraft X that he was either declaring a Weather Emergency or he was having a pilot deviation. Aircraft X declared he was 'deviating'. Separation was lost. Management said it was 0.0 lateral and 600 feet vertical. Aircraft X descended through traffic and into TLH approach. TLH approach wanted to talk to the aircraft. I shipped him and waited for management to decide how to handle this error. They told me to read the aircraft the Brasher warning which I did about 15 minutes later when TLH approach handed the aircraft off to me.Later when I solicited a PIREP from the pilot of Aircraft X; he said Light Rime Ice and Light Turbulence during the time he descended through traffic.
ZJX Controller reported an airborne conflict occurred when a pilot descended for weather even though he had been advised of opposite direction traffic below it.