Heading track deviation in non adherence to ATC clearance procedure instructions. Night operation.

Attributes
ACN	253242
Time
Date	199310
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eyw
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	253242
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My first officer was flying an 8 DME arc for the VOR approach into eyw. Basically, he was preoccupied with flying the arc and failed to turn on to the final approach course. The problem was also enhanced by my own fixation on the airport (trying to keep it in sight) and not backing up the first officer with the proper calls, i.e., 'course active, etc.' I believe the whole situation would have been avoided if the crew would have had proper rest. In my situation it was the second continuous duty which our company frequently schedules back-to-back. In this case, I had, at best, 4 hours of sleep the night before and then had to come back in at XA35 to do the same trip. This situation is used on an everyday basis at our company and creates a dangerous chronic fatigue cycle. These trips do not allow for sleep at night but you are expected to sleep during the day for your legal 9 hours. Also during this cycle they can (because it's legal?!) require you to fly multiple legs in the morning after getting plus or minus 5 hours of sleep.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV IN NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC PROC INSTRUCTIONS. NIGHT OP.

Narrative: MY FO WAS FLYING AN 8 DME ARC FOR THE VOR APCH INTO EYW. BASICALLY, HE WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH FLYING THE ARC AND FAILED TO TURN ON TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. THE PROB WAS ALSO ENHANCED BY MY OWN FIXATION ON THE ARPT (TRYING TO KEEP IT IN SIGHT) AND NOT BACKING UP THE FO WITH THE PROPER CALLS, I.E., 'COURSE ACTIVE, ETC.' I BELIEVE THE WHOLE SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE CREW WOULD HAVE HAD PROPER REST. IN MY SIT IT WAS THE SECOND CONTINUOUS DUTY WHICH OUR COMPANY FREQUENTLY SCHEDULES BACK-TO-BACK. IN THIS CASE, I HAD, AT BEST, 4 HRS OF SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE AND THEN HAD TO COME BACK IN AT XA35 TO DO THE SAME TRIP. THIS SIT IS USED ON AN EVERYDAY BASIS AT OUR COMPANY AND CREATES A DANGEROUS CHRONIC FATIGUE CYCLE. THESE TRIPS DO NOT ALLOW FOR SLEEP AT NIGHT BUT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO SLEEP DURING THE DAY FOR YOUR LEGAL 9 HRS. ALSO DURING THIS CYCLE THEY CAN (BECAUSE IT'S LEGAL?!) REQUIRE YOU TO FLY MULTIPLE LEGS IN THE MORNING AFTER GETTING PLUS OR MINUS 5 HRS OF 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.