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Commuter flight crew removes themselves from flying status due to work schedule and resulting fatigue.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 266530 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199403 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mco |
| State Reference | FL |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff ground : preflight landing other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 3200 |
| ASRS Report | 266530 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Crew scheduled for 9 leg day in 13 hours of duty. After 7 legs we called in fatigued. The subtle and 'not so subtle' signs of fatigue were present. We did not have any breaks suitable for eating. Crew scheduling reported us as sick or unavailable (our choice). I will grieve this. Since our work agreement (union contract) does not have provisions for a reasonable work day like the air carrier's, we are governed by the FARS. Company management treats employees like they were an auxiliary generator, 'use them till they break.' some crew members continue past the point of fatigue to avoid conflict with management. Some of the signs of fatigue relate to judgement. One time I observed first officer not call for gear down until I commented to her at 1500 ft AGL. At one point, I would not remember if we had performed a checklist. Both crew members became grouchy as fatigue set in. Under part 135 we 'dispatch' ourselves. The crew has to get WX. Our aircraft is not automated. No autoplt or flight director. Also, no bathroom and substandard air conditioning. Cabin temperatures of over 90 degrees F noted several times during the day.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: COMMUTER FLC REMOVES THEMSELVES FROM FLYING STATUS DUE TO WORK SCHEDULE AND RESULTING FATIGUE.
Narrative: CREW SCHEDULED FOR 9 LEG DAY IN 13 HRS OF DUTY. AFTER 7 LEGS WE CALLED IN FATIGUED. THE SUBTLE AND 'NOT SO SUBTLE' SIGNS OF FATIGUE WERE PRESENT. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY BREAKS SUITABLE FOR EATING. CREW SCHEDULING RPTED US AS SICK OR UNAVAILABLE (OUR CHOICE). I WILL GRIEVE THIS. SINCE OUR WORK AGREEMENT (UNION CONTRACT) DOES NOT HAVE PROVISIONS FOR A REASONABLE WORK DAY LIKE THE ACR'S, WE ARE GOVERNED BY THE FARS. COMPANY MGMNT TREATS EMPLOYEES LIKE THEY WERE AN AUX GENERATOR, 'USE THEM TILL THEY BREAK.' SOME CREW MEMBERS CONTINUE PAST THE POINT OF FATIGUE TO AVOID CONFLICT WITH MGMNT. SOME OF THE SIGNS OF FATIGUE RELATE TO JUDGEMENT. ONE TIME I OBSERVED FO NOT CALL FOR GEAR DOWN UNTIL I COMMENTED TO HER AT 1500 FT AGL. AT ONE POINT, I WOULD NOT REMEMBER IF WE HAD PERFORMED A CHKLIST. BOTH CREW MEMBERS BECAME GROUCHY AS FATIGUE SET IN. UNDER PART 135 WE 'DISPATCH' OURSELVES. THE CREW HAS TO GET WX. OUR ACFT IS NOT AUTOMATED. NO AUTOPLT OR FLT DIRECTOR. ALSO, NO BATHROOM AND SUBSTANDARD AIR CONDITIONING. CABIN TEMPS OF OVER 90 DEGS F NOTED SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE DAY.
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.