Narrative:

In cruise, ZMA gave us a frequency change to another center frequency 132.2. The first officer (PNF) acknowledged and changed frequency. At that time, we were discussing the distance to an airway turn point, and both failed to recognize 2 errors: 1) the radio was improperly selected to 132.0. 2) we never checked in and got a response. We merrily naved along our route for 5 or so mins. When I finally noticed how quiet the radio traffic was (ZMA is rarely quiet) and looked in horror at the radio frequency selector, the first officer quickly channelized and checked in! Center immediately responded and handed us over to mia approach, and nothing else was said by ATC (about our error). I believe that the primary cause of this error was fatigue. The first officer and I both had an XA00 wakeup for this trip, and neither got a good night's sleep. This was my 4TH day of 'out-and-back' trips with short overnights at home. These include scheduled reduced rest overnights which imply 4 hours sleep maximum (but it's legal!). Both crew members were aware of our mutual fatigue, and had discussed 'watching out for each other.' on this day, we completed our next 2 scheduled legs and were then scheduled to deadhead home. Crew scheduling called and 'extended' us to fly 2 more legs, and we refused -- invoking the fatigue provision of our union contract. (Never an easy thing to do due to threats of discipline.) we should have stopped flying sooner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FATIGUED FLC FAILED TO SET CORRECT FREQ WHEN CTR CTLR GAVE A FREQ CHANGE. THEY FINALLY REALIZED THE RADIO WAS VERY QUIET AND CAUGHT THE FREQ ERROR. NOTHING WAS SAID BY CTR. RPTR FLC WAS FATIGUED FROM VERY EARLY WAKE UP, 4TH DAY OF MINIMUM REST BTWN FLTS. RPTR'S COMPANY TRIED TO ASSIGN EXTRA LEGS AFTER THEIR SCHEDULE, BUT THEY REFUSED IN SPITE OF POTENTIAL DISCIPLINE THREATS FROM COMPANY.

Narrative: IN CRUISE, ZMA GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE TO ANOTHER CTR FREQ 132.2. THE FO (PNF) ACKNOWLEDGED AND CHANGED FREQ. AT THAT TIME, WE WERE DISCUSSING THE DISTANCE TO AN AIRWAY TURN POINT, AND BOTH FAILED TO RECOGNIZE 2 ERRORS: 1) THE RADIO WAS IMPROPERLY SELECTED TO 132.0. 2) WE NEVER CHKED IN AND GOT A RESPONSE. WE MERRILY NAVED ALONG OUR RTE FOR 5 OR SO MINS. WHEN I FINALLY NOTICED HOW QUIET THE RADIO TFC WAS (ZMA IS RARELY QUIET) AND LOOKED IN HORROR AT THE RADIO FREQ SELECTOR, THE FO QUICKLY CHANNELIZED AND CHKED IN! CTR IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED AND HANDED US OVER TO MIA APCH, AND NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID BY ATC (ABOUT OUR ERROR). I BELIEVE THAT THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THIS ERROR WAS FATIGUE. THE FO AND I BOTH HAD AN XA00 WAKEUP FOR THIS TRIP, AND NEITHER GOT A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP. THIS WAS MY 4TH DAY OF 'OUT-AND-BACK' TRIPS WITH SHORT OVERNIGHTS AT HOME. THESE INCLUDE SCHEDULED REDUCED REST OVERNIGHTS WHICH IMPLY 4 HRS SLEEP MAX (BUT IT'S LEGAL!). BOTH CREW MEMBERS WERE AWARE OF OUR MUTUAL FATIGUE, AND HAD DISCUSSED 'WATCHING OUT FOR EACH OTHER.' ON THIS DAY, WE COMPLETED OUR NEXT 2 SCHEDULED LEGS AND WERE THEN SCHEDULED TO DEADHEAD HOME. CREW SCHEDULING CALLED AND 'EXTENDED' US TO FLY 2 MORE LEGS, AND WE REFUSED -- INVOKING THE FATIGUE PROVISION OF OUR UNION CONTRACT. (NEVER AN EASY THING TO DO DUE TO THREATS OF DISCIPLINE.) WE SHOULD HAVE STOPPED FLYING SOONER.

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.