Narrative:

We were a los angeles based B-727 crew on the second leg of the second day of a 13-leg 4-DAY trip, popularly known as a 'death march'. The captain was flying during climb out from orf with the autoplt and omega navigation system engaged. I apparently fell asleep for perhaps a min or 2. When I awoke, I saw that the other 2 pilots were both asleep. I was too tired to shock myself out of my comatose state and to realize that we had all been asleep at the same time during climb! We had been up since XA00 'body time,' and the incident occurred about 4 and 1/2 hours later. Fortunately we missed no radio calls, and the autoplt had an altitude capture feature. I have never seen this happen before in a 30 plus yr flying career. I recognize now that we were operating in a state of acute fatigue caused by unsafe scheduling. Although this trip was completely 'legal' under both FARS and the pilot contract, it totally disregarded 'normal' diurnal rhythms. We were required to arise anywhere from XX00 to XX00 on 'body time,' ie, pacific time, and there really was never any time to recuperate sleep loss. Other factors contributing to the incident: lack of nourishment -- and no time to get any, apart from coffee. The hotel restaurant was not yet open, and this company does not furnish its crews with meals, apparently to save money. (My previous airline considered it a safety of flight matter.) the company's recent changeover to a computer enhanced scheduling system designed to reduce or eliminate contractual scheduling 'premium time.' the software takes no account of 'body time' in its weighing. Paradoxically, e-coast crews fly all nighters from the west coast here when common sense tells one that west coast crews should be flying them.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAR -- ACR FLC FELL ASLEEP INFLT.

Narrative: WE WERE A LOS ANGELES BASED B-727 CREW ON THE SECOND LEG OF THE SECOND DAY OF A 13-LEG 4-DAY TRIP, POPULARLY KNOWN AS A 'DEATH MARCH'. THE CAPT WAS FLYING DURING CLBOUT FROM ORF WITH THE AUTOPLT AND OMEGA NAV SYS ENGAGED. I APPARENTLY FELL ASLEEP FOR PERHAPS A MIN OR 2. WHEN I AWOKE, I SAW THAT THE OTHER 2 PLTS WERE BOTH ASLEEP. I WAS TOO TIRED TO SHOCK MYSELF OUT OF MY COMATOSE STATE AND TO REALIZE THAT WE HAD ALL BEEN ASLEEP AT THE SAME TIME DURING CLB! WE HAD BEEN UP SINCE XA00 'BODY TIME,' AND THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 4 AND 1/2 HRS LATER. FORTUNATELY WE MISSED NO RADIO CALLS, AND THE AUTOPLT HAD AN ALT CAPTURE FEATURE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE IN A 30 PLUS YR FLYING CAREER. I RECOGNIZE NOW THAT WE WERE OPERATING IN A STATE OF ACUTE FATIGUE CAUSED BY UNSAFE SCHEDULING. ALTHOUGH THIS TRIP WAS COMPLETELY 'LEGAL' UNDER BOTH FARS AND THE PLT CONTRACT, IT TOTALLY DISREGARDED 'NORMAL' DIURNAL RHYTHMS. WE WERE REQUIRED TO ARISE ANYWHERE FROM XX00 TO XX00 ON 'BODY TIME,' IE, PACIFIC TIME, AND THERE REALLY WAS NEVER ANY TIME TO RECUPERATE SLEEP LOSS. OTHER FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCIDENT: LACK OF NOURISHMENT -- AND NO TIME TO GET ANY, APART FROM COFFEE. THE HOTEL RESTAURANT WAS NOT YET OPEN, AND THIS COMPANY DOES NOT FURNISH ITS CREWS WITH MEALS, APPARENTLY TO SAVE MONEY. (MY PREVIOUS AIRLINE CONSIDERED IT A SAFETY OF FLT MATTER.) THE COMPANY'S RECENT CHANGEOVER TO A COMPUTER ENHANCED SCHEDULING SYS DESIGNED TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE CONTRACTUAL SCHEDULING 'PREMIUM TIME.' THE SOFTWARE TAKES NO ACCOUNT OF 'BODY TIME' IN ITS WEIGHING. PARADOXICALLY, E-COAST CREWS FLY ALL NIGHTERS FROM THE W COAST HERE WHEN COMMON SENSE TELLS ONE THAT W COAST CREWS SHOULD BE FLYING THEM.

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.