Narrative:

The flight was a cargo hop out of chicago to toronto area. The flight started just after midnight (with no sleep). The first delay of the night started after landing to pick up the freight (2 hours) the customs lady was 1 hour late after landing in canada. At this point I should have slept, but it was daylight, there was no pilot lounge and the longer you stay in canada, the more likely you will get messed with by the customs or the canadian FAA. I took off IFR after 7 O'clock am and was vectored around toronto. The controller climbed me to 6000 and switched me to another frequency. The only traffic on this frequency was myself. I relaxed my eyes for 30 seconds and at a time. I fell asleep. I was awakened by the controller asking for my heading and altitude. I said that I was at 6000 and west. I was a little low and 30 degree off heading. The controller informed me that I had done a left 360 degree turn and wondered why. I said I had gotten into some bad turbulence, she did not like this answer. The discussion then ended. Back in chicago, I went to sleep. The next time I will put the ear plugs in and eye covers on, and go to bed in back of the plane. I should have started the conversation with the controller or listened to some music to help me stay awake. The cold air did not work. Pilots that are on call and get flts out when they normally go to bed have a definite rest problem. I had 1 hour of sleep in the 24 hours prior to the incident. Do not get the homebound sickness. When tired at an out station -- sleep!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMT FREIGHTER PLT FELL ASLEEP WHILE AIRBORNE. ATC NOTICED AN ALTDEV AND A 360 DEG TURN. THE PLT WAS WELL BEHIND IN HIS SLEEP SCHEDULE.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS A CARGO HOP OUT OF CHICAGO TO TORONTO AREA. THE FLT STARTED JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT (WITH NO SLEEP). THE FIRST DELAY OF THE NIGHT STARTED AFTER LNDG TO PICK UP THE FREIGHT (2 HRS) THE CUSTOMS LADY WAS 1 HR LATE AFTER LNDG IN CANADA. AT THIS POINT I SHOULD HAVE SLEPT, BUT IT WAS DAYLIGHT, THERE WAS NO PLT LOUNGE AND THE LONGER YOU STAY IN CANADA, THE MORE LIKELY YOU WILL GET MESSED WITH BY THE CUSTOMS OR THE CANADIAN FAA. I TOOK OFF IFR AFTER 7 O'CLOCK AM AND WAS VECTORED AROUND TORONTO. THE CTLR CLBED ME TO 6000 AND SWITCHED ME TO ANOTHER FREQ. THE ONLY TFC ON THIS FREQ WAS MYSELF. I RELAXED MY EYES FOR 30 SECONDS AND AT A TIME. I FELL ASLEEP. I WAS AWAKENED BY THE CTLR ASKING FOR MY HDG AND ALT. I SAID THAT I WAS AT 6000 AND W. I WAS A LITTLE LOW AND 30 DEG OFF HDG. THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT I HAD DONE A L 360 DEG TURN AND WONDERED WHY. I SAID I HAD GOTTEN INTO SOME BAD TURB, SHE DID NOT LIKE THIS ANSWER. THE DISCUSSION THEN ENDED. BACK IN CHICAGO, I WENT TO SLEEP. THE NEXT TIME I WILL PUT THE EAR PLUGS IN AND EYE COVERS ON, AND GO TO BED IN BACK OF THE PLANE. I SHOULD HAVE STARTED THE CONVERSATION WITH THE CTLR OR LISTENED TO SOME MUSIC TO HELP ME STAY AWAKE. THE COLD AIR DID NOT WORK. PLTS THAT ARE ON CALL AND GET FLTS OUT WHEN THEY NORMALLY GO TO BED HAVE A DEFINITE REST PROBLEM. I HAD 1 HR OF SLEEP IN THE 24 HRS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. DO NOT GET THE HOMEBOUND SICKNESS. WHEN TIRED AT AN OUT STATION -- SLEEP!

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.