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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Air taxi cargo in a PA28-200R falls asleep and awakens 30 mi beyond his destination airport. He cancels IFR and returns to make a landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 380132 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199709 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : gbg |
| State Reference | WI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mli |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 174 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 680 |
| ASRS Report | 380132 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was on a routine cargo flight from mke to gbg by way of rfd VOR. The WX was VMC with about 20 mi visibility. The flight at 6000 ft started uneventfully. I was handed off to quad cities approach and informed them that I had galesburg AWOS. Shortly, they gave me a descent at pilot's discretion to 3000 ft. As usual I remained at 6000 ft intending to start my descent upon crossing the mzv 110 degree radial. About 20 mi northeast of galesburg at 6000 ft with the autoplt engaged, I fell asleep until I reached a point about 30 mi southwest of galesburg. Upon waking and realizing that I had overshot my destination I turned around and headed back to galesburg. I immediately called quad cities approach and canceled my IFR flight plan. Then I proceeded to land at galesburg. Although I felt awake and alert when I left milwaukee, I feel that an unrestful night's sleep due to some pressing personal matters was a contributing factor in this event. Additionally, the routine nature of the flight, the smooth air, warm cabin, and little radio traffic all helped to bring on drowsiness. I believe that a more restful night's sleep and keeping the cabin cooler by the use of vents and lower heater settings would have prevented this situation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AIR TAXI CARGO IN A PA28-200R FALLS ASLEEP AND AWAKENS 30 MI BEYOND HIS DEST ARPT. HE CANCELS IFR AND RETURNS TO MAKE A LNDG.
Narrative: I WAS ON A ROUTINE CARGO FLT FROM MKE TO GBG BY WAY OF RFD VOR. THE WX WAS VMC WITH ABOUT 20 MI VISIBILITY. THE FLT AT 6000 FT STARTED UNEVENTFULLY. I WAS HANDED OFF TO QUAD CITIES APCH AND INFORMED THEM THAT I HAD GALESBURG AWOS. SHORTLY, THEY GAVE ME A DSCNT AT PLT'S DISCRETION TO 3000 FT. AS USUAL I REMAINED AT 6000 FT INTENDING TO START MY DSCNT UPON XING THE MZV 110 DEG RADIAL. ABOUT 20 MI NE OF GALESBURG AT 6000 FT WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED, I FELL ASLEEP UNTIL I REACHED A POINT ABOUT 30 MI SW OF GALESBURG. UPON WAKING AND REALIZING THAT I HAD OVERSHOT MY DEST I TURNED AROUND AND HEADED BACK TO GALESBURG. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED QUAD CITIES APCH AND CANCELED MY IFR FLT PLAN. THEN I PROCEEDED TO LAND AT GALESBURG. ALTHOUGH I FELT AWAKE AND ALERT WHEN I LEFT MILWAUKEE, I FEEL THAT AN UNRESTFUL NIGHT'S SLEEP DUE TO SOME PRESSING PERSONAL MATTERS WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THIS EVENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE ROUTINE NATURE OF THE FLT, THE SMOOTH AIR, WARM CABIN, AND LITTLE RADIO TFC ALL HELPED TO BRING ON DROWSINESS. I BELIEVE THAT A MORE RESTFUL NIGHT'S SLEEP AND KEEPING THE CABIN COOLER BY THE USE OF VENTS AND LOWER HEATER SETTINGS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS SIT.
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.