Narrative:

I was an international MD11 captain on reserve. I was coming off 5 days off and my duty started the next day. Normally, open time is filled just after XA00. I sat waiting for an assignment for the next day until XC30. When none came, I took my family out to dinner. Arriving home around XF00-XF30, I noted the flashing light on my answering machine. I returned the call to crew scheduling. I was assigned a domestic trip that signed in at XI00 tonight. After explaining why I couldn't safely fly the trip to both the scheduler and mod, I passed on flying the trip. The reason -- fatigued. They, in turn, delivered a note to my flight office. I was now on everybody's 'bad boy' list. The next morning, I received the call from the flight office. The conversation started with the chief stating that he was 'miffed' that I turned down a trip when coming onto duty after 5 days off. I explained the facts like this. I am not a slacker, but a very dedicated employee. I've never called in fatigued in my career. I have maxed out my sick days. I have and always will do what is best for the air carrier within reason -- when it is safe. I am an international pilot. All flts leave in the afternoon or early evening and fly into the wee hours of the morning. Being the dedicated professional, I began preparing a day early to fly the next day. I awoke early and planned to stay up late in an effort to sleep in the day of duty so that I could be as prepared as I could to fly late the next night. By questioning my judgement, they are putting pressure on me to do what I have determined to not be safe. They also are putting maybe more than subtle pressure on me to next time do as they bid.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD11 RESERVE PLT REFUSES A COMPANY FLT ASSIGNMENT WHEN HE RETURNS HOME AFTER DINNER, CITING THAT THE NORMAL FLT ASSIGNMENT TIME WAS 5 PT 5 PRIOR TO THAT TIME. HE WAS FATIGUED AND WAS ON THE CARPET THE NEXT DAY WITH CHIEF PLT. ZZZ, US.

Narrative: I WAS AN INTL MD11 CAPT ON RESERVE. I WAS COMING OFF 5 DAYS OFF AND MY DUTY STARTED THE NEXT DAY. NORMALLY, OPEN TIME IS FILLED JUST AFTER XA00. I SAT WAITING FOR AN ASSIGNMENT FOR THE NEXT DAY UNTIL XC30. WHEN NONE CAME, I TOOK MY FAMILY OUT TO DINNER. ARRIVING HOME AROUND XF00-XF30, I NOTED THE FLASHING LIGHT ON MY ANSWERING MACHINE. I RETURNED THE CALL TO CREW SCHEDULING. I WAS ASSIGNED A DOMESTIC TRIP THAT SIGNED IN AT XI00 TONIGHT. AFTER EXPLAINING WHY I COULDN'T SAFELY FLY THE TRIP TO BOTH THE SCHEDULER AND MOD, I PASSED ON FLYING THE TRIP. THE REASON -- FATIGUED. THEY, IN TURN, DELIVERED A NOTE TO MY FLT OFFICE. I WAS NOW ON EVERYBODY'S 'BAD BOY' LIST. THE NEXT MORNING, I RECEIVED THE CALL FROM THE FLT OFFICE. THE CONVERSATION STARTED WITH THE CHIEF STATING THAT HE WAS 'MIFFED' THAT I TURNED DOWN A TRIP WHEN COMING ONTO DUTY AFTER 5 DAYS OFF. I EXPLAINED THE FACTS LIKE THIS. I AM NOT A SLACKER, BUT A VERY DEDICATED EMPLOYEE. I'VE NEVER CALLED IN FATIGUED IN MY CAREER. I HAVE MAXED OUT MY SICK DAYS. I HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE ACR WITHIN REASON -- WHEN IT IS SAFE. I AM AN INTL PLT. ALL FLTS LEAVE IN THE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING AND FLY INTO THE WEE HRS OF THE MORNING. BEING THE DEDICATED PROFESSIONAL, I BEGAN PREPARING A DAY EARLY TO FLY THE NEXT DAY. I AWOKE EARLY AND PLANNED TO STAY UP LATE IN AN EFFORT TO SLEEP IN THE DAY OF DUTY SO THAT I COULD BE AS PREPARED AS I COULD TO FLY LATE THE NEXT NIGHT. BY QUESTIONING MY JUDGEMENT, THEY ARE PUTTING PRESSURE ON ME TO DO WHAT I HAVE DETERMINED TO NOT BE SAFE. THEY ALSO ARE PUTTING MAYBE MORE THAN SUBTLE PRESSURE ON ME TO NEXT TIME DO AS THEY BID.

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.