Complaint from a commuter light transport captain about company policy regarding crew rest.

Attributes
ACN	176651
Time
Date	199104
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	176651
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After departing tallahassee, fl for atl, we were leveling off at 21000' when the #1 main gen dropped off-line. Emergency procedures were followed and the gen was turned off when it failed to reset. At cruise, a vibration soon developed and the F/a noted sparks out of the #1 engine. The vibration continued to increase so we diverted to macon. A new gen was installed and we continued to atl arriving at aa:30 pm local. Meanwhile, our reduced rest (8 hours) over night in augusta, GA had been cancelled, but our company flight control decided to use us to test fly a test flight. We concluded the test flight and finally dutied out at ab:50 am. We were to go home, rest and duty back in 8 hours to continue our trip. By the time I caught the crew bus, then drove home, it was bb:10 am before actually hitting bed. To make duty in, I had to get up at gg:00 am. Total rest, 4:50. Far's allow airlines to bend crew rest like this continually, as it shows legal on paper. But, as you can see, it's hardly safe. I think it's high time the crew rest requirements are scrutinized before an exhausted crew kills a bunch of people. They'd call it pilot error!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPLAINT FROM A COMMUTER LTT CAPT ABOUT COMPANY POLICY REGARDING CREW REST.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING TALLAHASSEE, FL FOR ATL, WE WERE LEVELING OFF AT 21000' WHEN THE #1 MAIN GEN DROPPED OFF-LINE. EMER PROCS WERE FOLLOWED AND THE GEN WAS TURNED OFF WHEN IT FAILED TO RESET. AT CRUISE, A VIBRATION SOON DEVELOPED AND THE F/A NOTED SPARKS OUT OF THE #1 ENG. THE VIBRATION CONTINUED TO INCREASE SO WE DIVERTED TO MACON. A NEW GEN WAS INSTALLED AND WE CONTINUED TO ATL ARRIVING AT AA:30 PM LCL. MEANWHILE, OUR REDUCED REST (8 HRS) OVER NIGHT IN AUGUSTA, GA HAD BEEN CANCELLED, BUT OUR COMPANY FLT CTL DECIDED TO USE US TO TEST FLY A TEST FLT. WE CONCLUDED THE TEST FLT AND FINALLY DUTIED OUT AT AB:50 AM. WE WERE TO GO HOME, REST AND DUTY BACK IN 8 HRS TO CONTINUE OUR TRIP. BY THE TIME I CAUGHT THE CREW BUS, THEN DROVE HOME, IT WAS BB:10 AM BEFORE ACTUALLY HITTING BED. TO MAKE DUTY IN, I HAD TO GET UP AT GG:00 AM. TOTAL REST, 4:50. FAR'S ALLOW AIRLINES TO BEND CREW REST LIKE THIS CONTINUALLY, AS IT SHOWS LEGAL ON PAPER. BUT, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S HARDLY SAFE. I THINK IT'S HIGH TIME THE CREW REST REQUIREMENTS ARE SCRUTINIZED BEFORE AN EXHAUSTED CREW KILLS A BUNCH OF PEOPLE. THEY'D CALL IT PLT ERROR!

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