An A320 pilot realized while flying the last leg of a 4 day trip that he may be too fatigued to be f...

Attributes
ACN	639835
Time
Date	200412
Day	Mon
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
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
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 : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	639835
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

This was day #4 of a 4-DAY trip. Very fatiguing with very early morning report times. The last day was scheduled for 11 hour 49 min duty time, but ended up being almost 14 hours. Our body clock was set for early morning, but day #4 required us to work into the night. After a 2 hour delay in ord, we headed for lga. I thought there would be no problem with fatigue because I'm young and in good shape. It occurred to me en route that I really shouldn't be flying. The caffeine from earlier wore off and now things felt unsafe. The flight progressed normally, albeit in slow motion. Luckily there were no incidents. I feel that with the onerous schedules and long duty days, combined with changing our sleep patterns every few days contributes to long-term fatigue. The intimidation by our company mgrs makes the pilots less likely to call in fatigued. If we are fatigued, we are punished by having our pay docked. In the future, I plan on being more proactive when managing fatigue. Anything over 12 hours on duty and we are asking for trouble.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 PLT REALIZED WHILE FLYING THE LAST LEG OF A 4 DAY TRIP THAT HE MAY BE TOO FATIGUED TO BE FLYING.

Narrative: THIS WAS DAY #4 OF A 4-DAY TRIP. VERY FATIGUING WITH VERY EARLY MORNING RPT TIMES. THE LAST DAY WAS SCHEDULED FOR 11 HR 49 MIN DUTY TIME, BUT ENDED UP BEING ALMOST 14 HRS. OUR BODY CLOCK WAS SET FOR EARLY MORNING, BUT DAY #4 REQUIRED US TO WORK INTO THE NIGHT. AFTER A 2 HR DELAY IN ORD, WE HEADED FOR LGA. I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE NO PROB WITH FATIGUE BECAUSE I'M YOUNG AND IN GOOD SHAPE. IT OCCURRED TO ME ENRTE THAT I REALLY SHOULDN'T BE FLYING. THE CAFFEINE FROM EARLIER WORE OFF AND NOW THINGS FELT UNSAFE. THE FLT PROGRESSED NORMALLY, ALBEIT IN SLOW MOTION. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO INCIDENTS. I FEEL THAT WITH THE ONEROUS SCHEDULES AND LONG DUTY DAYS, COMBINED WITH CHANGING OUR SLEEP PATTERNS EVERY FEW DAYS CONTRIBUTES TO LONG-TERM FATIGUE. THE INTIMIDATION BY OUR COMPANY MGRS MAKES THE PLTS LESS LIKELY TO CALL IN FATIGUED. IF WE ARE FATIGUED, WE ARE PUNISHED BY HAVING OUR PAY DOCKED. IN THE FUTURE, I PLAN ON BEING MORE PROACTIVE WHEN MANAGING FATIGUE. ANYTHING OVER 12 HRS ON DUTY AND WE ARE ASKING FOR TROUBLE.

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.

An A320 pilot realized while flying the last leg of a 4 day trip that he may be too fatigued to be flying.