Narrative:

Late night landed out of an ILS without landing clearance from tower controller. Began day at AM30 am. Flew 6 legs. Total flight time for the day was 9.4 hours. Total duty time was 15.5 hours. Due to thunderstorms, we were ground stopped for over 3 hours. Once out of the gate, we spent approximately 1.5 hours in line before taking off. The scheduled flight of 1.5 hours took 3 hours block to block to complete. Besides the fact that the day went long, the body became worn out due to stress and adrenaline from the thunderstorm/fuel worries mentioned above. At swf, AM45 in the am, we were cleared for an ILS approach. The WX was not too low. We were cleared for the approach, then told to contact tower further downstream. Due to tiredness and distrs of the landing checklist and final confign of the airplane, we (I) never switched to tower. I would suggest to ATC especially at night, to tell the crew to go to tower at the appropriate time, not to do it at some later time such as the OM. That might help. I know in the future, if there is a long ground stop in an already long duty day, I'll find a way to have one of the pilots sack out. That would have helped in this instance. Our contract has a maximum duty of 15.0 hours. On that basis, I could have refused the last 1 or 2 legs. The last leg was a short 30 min hop. Since we were running on adrenaline and caffeine, we didn't really feel tired until right before the second to last landing. It is very insidious. I watch now for early signs of fatigue -- like irritability -- more closely.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR MDT ACFT FAILED TO HAVE LNDG CLRNC UPON LNDG OUT OF AN ILS APCH.

Narrative: LATE NIGHT LANDED OUT OF AN ILS WITHOUT LNDG CLRNC FROM TWR CTLR. BEGAN DAY AT AM30 AM. FLEW 6 LEGS. TOTAL FLT TIME FOR THE DAY WAS 9.4 HRS. TOTAL DUTY TIME WAS 15.5 HRS. DUE TO TSTMS, WE WERE GND STOPPED FOR OVER 3 HRS. ONCE OUT OF THE GATE, WE SPENT APPROX 1.5 HRS IN LINE BEFORE TAKING OFF. THE SCHEDULED FLT OF 1.5 HRS TOOK 3 HRS BLOCK TO BLOCK TO COMPLETE. BESIDES THE FACT THAT THE DAY WENT LONG, THE BODY BECAME WORN OUT DUE TO STRESS AND ADRENALINE FROM THE TSTM/FUEL WORRIES MENTIONED ABOVE. AT SWF, AM45 IN THE AM, WE WERE CLRED FOR AN ILS APCH. THE WX WAS NOT TOO LOW. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH, THEN TOLD TO CONTACT TWR FURTHER DOWNSTREAM. DUE TO TIREDNESS AND DISTRS OF THE LNDG CHKLIST AND FINAL CONFIGN OF THE AIRPLANE, WE (I) NEVER SWITCHED TO TWR. I WOULD SUGGEST TO ATC ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, TO TELL THE CREW TO GO TO TWR AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, NOT TO DO IT AT SOME LATER TIME SUCH AS THE OM. THAT MIGHT HELP. I KNOW IN THE FUTURE, IF THERE IS A LONG GND STOP IN AN ALREADY LONG DUTY DAY, I'LL FIND A WAY TO HAVE ONE OF THE PLTS SACK OUT. THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED IN THIS INSTANCE. OUR CONTRACT HAS A MAX DUTY OF 15.0 HRS. ON THAT BASIS, I COULD HAVE REFUSED THE LAST 1 OR 2 LEGS. THE LAST LEG WAS A SHORT 30 MIN HOP. SINCE WE WERE RUNNING ON ADRENALINE AND CAFFEINE, WE DIDN'T REALLY FEEL TIRED UNTIL RIGHT BEFORE THE SECOND TO LAST LNDG. IT IS VERY INSIDIOUS. I WATCH NOW FOR EARLY SIGNS OF FATIGUE -- LIKE IRRITABILITY -- MORE CLOSELY.

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.