Large Transport
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 17.5
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Procedure; Human Factors; Weather
I was working 13R by myself during the morning push into DEN when I was told we had to go into no notice hold for wind shear at DEN. I felt pushed from this point on; issuing numerous hold instructions and attempting to explain on frequency the reason for delay and expected updates. I had successfully updated all aircraft when I started receiving multiple inbound instructions over a 10 minute period. I was joined by another controller at this point on 13D because that controller had heard me ask for help. I was told to send aircraft in 1x10; no 1x15; 1x10 and then 2x10 (the normal spacing for this sector.) I was also informed to change to the long side STAR with no notice. I was working hard to comply with this rapid flow of changes when I turned Aircraft X inbound to TOMSN and issued the FRNCH3 STAR. I was also pushed trying to keep track of which aircraft had advised low or minimum fuel. I descended Aircraft X from FL250 to FL180 expecting a left turn to TOMSN and then pointed the aircraft out to sector 6. Aircraft X did not start his descent and floated for a short time. I then noticed that Aircraft X was turning right and verified this with the pilot. The sector 6 controller noticed Aircraft X turning into Aircraft Y and not descending and alerted me. I turned Aircraft Y to Heading 360 with request for a tight turn and asked Aircraft X to tighten turn to TOMSN. I determined since Aircraft X had already left FL250 that an altitude change would not help so relied on turns to solve the conflict. I had a bubble on Aircraft Y and saw one maybe two updates in the bubble with no less than 4.7 miles at the minimum distance. The pilots of both aircraft gave me tight turns so the conflict was solved quickly.Not sure if the constant changing of arrival configuration can be solved but this definitely caused me to fall behind. Get help sooner.
ZDV Controller reports of wind issues at DEN which caused no notice holding and a configuration change at the airport. The controller issued a turn to an aircraft that turned the wrong direction and became a conflict with another aircraft.