Both crew members of an light transport missed the start of descent and crossed a point 3000 ft high...

Attributes
ACN	211191
Time
Date	199205
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute airway : bna
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	211191
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was given pilot discretion descent, cross 40 DME from bna at 7000 ft. Due to being extremely tired because of minimal crew rest on this trip sequence (5 hours sleep first day, far 8 hours of 'rest'), I forgot to descend until 42 DME and was still at 10000 ft MSL when I was supposed to be at 7000 ft MSL. My copilot was just as tired as me and just as mentally un-alert, so he missed it also. I suggest the FARS part 135 be changed to require a min of 10 hours crew rest, with a min of 8 hours behind the hotel room door. Riding on a crew van to the hotel is not the same as good old sleep! Airlines do not care about pilot physiological needs -- it must be law or they won't give us time for sleeping, eating, dressing, etc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BOTH CREW MEMBERS OF AN LTT MISSED THE START OF DSCNT AND CROSSED A POINT 3000 FT HIGH.

Narrative: I WAS GIVEN PLT DISCRETION DSCNT, CROSS 40 DME FROM BNA AT 7000 FT. DUE TO BEING EXTREMELY TIRED BECAUSE OF MINIMAL CREW REST ON THIS TRIP SEQUENCE (5 HRS SLEEP FIRST DAY, FAR 8 HRS OF 'REST'), I FORGOT TO DSND UNTIL 42 DME AND WAS STILL AT 10000 FT MSL WHEN I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT 7000 FT MSL. MY COPLT WAS JUST AS TIRED AS ME AND JUST AS MENTALLY UN-ALERT, SO HE MISSED IT ALSO. I SUGGEST THE FARS PART 135 BE CHANGED TO REQUIRE A MIN OF 10 HRS CREW REST, WITH A MIN OF 8 HRS BEHIND THE HOTEL ROOM DOOR. RIDING ON A CREW VAN TO THE HOTEL IS NOT THE SAME AS GOOD OLD SLEEP! AIRLINES DO NOT CARE ABOUT PLT PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS -- IT MUST BE LAW OR THEY WON'T GIVE US TIME FOR SLEEPING, EATING, DRESSING, ETC.

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.