B747-400 crew had altitude overshoot and exceeded vmo on descent after a long overnight flight.

Attributes
ACN	533036
Time
Date	200112
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10200 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz1.artcc tracon : zzz.tracon tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-SR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	533036
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Factors: fatigue (13 plus hour duty day starting at 10 P.M. Previous evening). Aircraft in vertical speed. Cleared to descend to 11000 ft during descent aircraft overspd by 10-15 KTS. Executed proper recovery immediately. Dut to fatigue and transition from autoplt to hand flying allowed aircraft to descend below 11000 ft by approximately 700-800 ft (10200-10300 ft) executed recovery to proper level off altitude. Continued to uneventful landing. To prevent further events as this is of upmost urgency and continuing safety that flight and duty day limitations be revised for all carriers, especially air cargo.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOOT AND EXCEEDED VMO ON DSCNT AFTER A LONG OVERNIGHT FLT.

Narrative: FACTORS: FATIGUE (13 PLUS HOUR DUTY DAY STARTING AT 10 P.M. PREVIOUS EVENING). ACFT IN VERTICAL SPD. CLRED TO DSND TO 11000 FT DURING DSCNT ACFT OVERSPD BY 10-15 KTS. EXECUTED PROPER RECOVERY IMMEDIATELY. DUT TO FATIGUE AND TRANSITION FROM AUTOPLT TO HAND FLYING ALLOWED ACFT TO DSND BELOW 11000 FT BY APPROX 700-800 FT (10200-10300 FT) EXECUTED RECOVERY TO PROPER LEVEL OFF ALT. CONTINUED TO UNEVENTFUL LNDG. TO PREVENT FURTHER EVENTS AS THIS IS OF UPMOST URGENCY AND CONTINUING SAFETY THAT FLT AND DUTY DAY LIMITATIONS BE REVISED FOR ALL CARRIERS, ESPECIALLY AIR CARGO.

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.