DC8 flight crew were unable to comply with the crossing restr at rbv because of crew fatigue.

Attributes
ACN	462190
Time
Date	200002
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : rbv.vortac
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8 70
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
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 : 8000 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	462190
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Crew reported at XA16. On arrival to ewr at approximately XB00 and better than 8 hours 30 mins flight time, failed to comply with crossing altitude of 8000 ft at robbinsville VOR. At approximately 3 mi from robbinsville, I informed ATC we were unable to comply with crossing altitude. We crossed robbinsville VOR at 10000 ft. The largest contributing factor was crew fatigue due to long international duty day, block hours, and back side of the clock operation. This trip pairing was a 2 leg night/day trip and could have been easily scheduled for 1 leg night and 1 day with an additional crew. Crew fatigue continues to be a significant safety hazard, due to the lack of far rest requirements that consider circadian cycle.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC8 FLC WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE XING RESTR AT RBV BECAUSE OF CREW FATIGUE.

Narrative: CREW RPTED AT XA16. ON ARR TO EWR AT APPROX XB00 AND BETTER THAN 8 HRS 30 MINS FLT TIME, FAILED TO COMPLY WITH XING ALT OF 8000 FT AT ROBBINSVILLE VOR. AT APPROX 3 MI FROM ROBBINSVILLE, I INFORMED ATC WE WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH XING ALT. WE CROSSED ROBBINSVILLE VOR AT 10000 FT. THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS CREW FATIGUE DUE TO LONG INTL DUTY DAY, BLOCK HRS, AND BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK OP. THIS TRIP PAIRING WAS A 2 LEG NIGHT/DAY TRIP AND COULD HAVE BEEN EASILY SCHEDULED FOR 1 LEG NIGHT AND 1 DAY WITH AN ADDITIONAL CREW. CREW FATIGUE CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD, DUE TO THE LACK OF FAR REST REQUIREMENTS THAT CONSIDER CIRCADIAN CYCLE.

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.