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A319 first officer report on the practices of stand up layovers, WX delays and flight times making for 14 hour plus day on duty time while at ord, il.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 617302 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200405 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : bwi.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time type : 3200 |
| ASRS Report | 617302 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor FAA |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
I was scheduled for an XA46 duty day on day 4 of 4-DAY trip. Last leg was delayed (ord-lga) due to ord WX. I knew that I would be bumping up against a 14 hour duty day, and assumed that 14 hours meant I was safe and not fatigued. After a 2 hour situation in ord, followed by another 2 hours wait due to WX, the day was getting long. After takeoff, and en route to lga, I realized that I was very fatigued and should not be flying. I drank a caffeinated beverage and did my best to stay alert. Luckily, the flight ended uneventfully. I fault myself for assuming that 14 hours of duty is safe. It's not. I also fault the company for building a long 4-DAY trip that starts early each morning, but day 4 is almost 12 hours. If any WX or delays are encountered (like usual, when going out of ord), the duty day is easily 14 hours long. In the future, I plan on being more proactive about calling in fatigued. With long duty days and many days away from home due to the onerous schedules, I think this would be the safest option.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A319 FO RPT ON THE PRACTICES OF STAND UP LAYOVERS, WX DELAYS AND FLT TIMES MAKING FOR 14 HR PLUS DAY ON DUTY TIME WHILE AT ORD, IL.
Narrative: I WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN XA46 DUTY DAY ON DAY 4 OF 4-DAY TRIP. LAST LEG WAS DELAYED (ORD-LGA) DUE TO ORD WX. I KNEW THAT I WOULD BE BUMPING UP AGAINST A 14 HR DUTY DAY, AND ASSUMED THAT 14 HRS MEANT I WAS SAFE AND NOT FATIGUED. AFTER A 2 HR SIT IN ORD, FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER 2 HRS WAIT DUE TO WX, THE DAY WAS GETTING LONG. AFTER TKOF, AND ENRTE TO LGA, I REALIZED THAT I WAS VERY FATIGUED AND SHOULD NOT BE FLYING. I DRANK A CAFFEINATED BEVERAGE AND DID MY BEST TO STAY ALERT. LUCKILY, THE FLT ENDED UNEVENTFULLY. I FAULT MYSELF FOR ASSUMING THAT 14 HRS OF DUTY IS SAFE. IT'S NOT. I ALSO FAULT THE COMPANY FOR BUILDING A LONG 4-DAY TRIP THAT STARTS EARLY EACH MORNING, BUT DAY 4 IS ALMOST 12 HRS. IF ANY WX OR DELAYS ARE ENCOUNTERED (LIKE USUAL, WHEN GOING OUT OF ORD), THE DUTY DAY IS EASILY 14 HRS LONG. IN THE FUTURE, I PLAN ON BEING MORE PROACTIVE ABOUT CALLING IN FATIGUED. WITH LONG DUTY DAYS AND MANY DAYS AWAY FROM HOME DUE TO THE ONEROUS SCHEDULES, I THINK THIS WOULD BE THE SAFEST OPTION.
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.