Narrative:

Once again, I'm writing to describe a situation pertaining to chronic fatigue and the constant use of reduced rest by our company. After taking the runway for departure, I called for line-up items which the first officer read off being completed. When I advanced the throttles we got a 3 beep 'takeoff trim' warning. This obviously could have been a very serious situation. After further review of the situation, not only had he not put the trim in the green, he had missed turning the transponder on and forgotten to preselect the departure clearance. Supplemental information from acn 254445: I was unable to perform my duties at 100 percent due to fatigue. Missed several radio calls and checklist responses. Flight completed without incident. I was scheduled for 3 'back-to-back' continuous duty trips. Fatigue occurred during second trip. All 3 trips report at XX25PM (late) and release at AB42AM early the following day (11 hours/7 mins continuous duty). They consist of a 30 min flight to dab, post-flight, travel to hotel, rest, XX50 report, travel to airport, preflight, 30 min flight to mco and post-flight. On paper rest equals 7 hours 30 mins. In actuality, rest equals approximately 6 hour 15 mins due to round trip van ride and 45 min shower, dress, etc. Rest is further reduced if a person cannot walk in to a strange hotel room, rip off their clothes and be asleep before their heads hit the pillow. The first trip was preceded by 1 hour 25 mins. Of 'on call reserve' duty with 1 hour report, and no opportunity for rest. CAT naps after the first trip did not, repeat, not make up for lost sleep. I started the second trip tired but did not feel my performance would be impaired. It was. I did not fly the third trip. I realize continuous duty trips are a fact of life in this business. But, scheduling continuous duty trips back-to-back is dangerous and should be addressed immediately, the first day I was on 'duty' 23 hours 42 mins.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT ACR ACFT FATIGUE DUE TO COMPANY DUTY SCHEDULE.

Narrative: ONCE AGAIN, I'M WRITING TO DESCRIBE A SIT PERTAINING TO CHRONIC FATIGUE AND THE CONSTANT USE OF REDUCED REST BY OUR COMPANY. AFTER TAKING THE RWY FOR DEP, I CALLED FOR LINE-UP ITEMS WHICH THE FO READ OFF BEING COMPLETED. WHEN I ADVANCED THE THROTTLES WE GOT A 3 BEEP 'TKOF TRIM' WARNING. THIS OBVIOUSLY COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS SIT. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW OF THE SIT, NOT ONLY HAD HE NOT PUT THE TRIM IN THE GREEN, HE HAD MISSED TURNING THE XPONDER ON AND FORGOTTEN TO PRESELECT THE DEP CLRNC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 254445: I WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM MY DUTIES AT 100 PERCENT DUE TO FATIGUE. MISSED SEVERAL RADIO CALLS AND CHKLIST RESPONSES. FLT COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I WAS SCHEDULED FOR 3 'BACK-TO-BACK' CONTINUOUS DUTY TRIPS. FATIGUE OCCURRED DURING SECOND TRIP. ALL 3 TRIPS RPT AT XX25PM (LATE) AND RELEASE AT AB42AM EARLY THE FOLLOWING DAY (11 HRS/7 MINS CONTINUOUS DUTY). THEY CONSIST OF A 30 MIN FLT TO DAB, POST-FLT, TRAVEL TO HOTEL, REST, XX50 RPT, TRAVEL TO ARPT, PREFLT, 30 MIN FLT TO MCO AND POST-FLT. ON PAPER REST EQUALS 7 HRS 30 MINS. IN ACTUALITY, REST EQUALS APPROX 6 HR 15 MINS DUE TO ROUND TRIP VAN RIDE AND 45 MIN SHOWER, DRESS, ETC. REST IS FURTHER REDUCED IF A PERSON CANNOT WALK IN TO A STRANGE HOTEL ROOM, RIP OFF THEIR CLOTHES AND BE ASLEEP BEFORE THEIR HEADS HIT THE PILLOW. THE FIRST TRIP WAS PRECEDED BY 1 HR 25 MINS. OF 'ON CALL RESERVE' DUTY WITH 1 HR RPT, AND NO OPPORTUNITY FOR REST. CAT NAPS AFTER THE FIRST TRIP DID NOT, REPEAT, NOT MAKE UP FOR LOST SLEEP. I STARTED THE SECOND TRIP TIRED BUT DID NOT FEEL MY PERFORMANCE WOULD BE IMPAIRED. IT WAS. I DID NOT FLY THE THIRD TRIP. I REALIZE CONTINUOUS DUTY TRIPS ARE A FACT OF LIFE IN THIS BUSINESS. BUT, SCHEDULING CONTINUOUS DUTY TRIPS BACK-TO-BACK IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY, THE FIRST DAY I WAS ON 'DUTY' 23 HRS 42 MINS.

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.