Narrative:

I was flying an piper PA31-350. I was en route from bfi to pdx; on an IFR flight plan. The conditions were IMC; at night; cruising at 8000 ft MSL; but these conditions did not contribute to the incident. I was established on V23; which uses the sea VOR until 61 DME; when the pilot is supposed to switch to the btg VOR and tune the CDI to 149 to. Prior to this leg; I was starting to experience a little fatigue en route to the first destination on this flight. Because I was 45 mins early; I took a nap in the pilot lounge for at least 30 mins. Feeling rested at XB00; I met the carrier and departed at XC00; and did not experience any fatigue until around XD00; en route to pdx. Time was also not a factor in this report; since I was already behind schedule. As previously mentioned; I started to feel fatigued again around XD00. The last time I remember talking with ZSE was around XE00. I don't recall actually closing my eyes; but I had definitely 'zoned out;' and had missed several radio xmissions from center trying to hand me off to portland RAPCON. In addition to missing the radio calls; I had also missed the change of course; so I was well off of V23. Cruising at 8000 ft MSL; and still not on frequency with portland approach; I had understandably given approach a definite scare. Unable to contact me; portland approach called the pdx manager; who called me on my standby radio. I heard this transmission loud and clear; and I immediately called portland approach. Because I was so high; the approach controller had to vector me around to avoid the arrival corridor. I landed around XF00; and was told to call ZSE and give them an explanation. Clearly; the contributing factor to this incident with ATC was fatigue. I did not get enough sleep the previous 2 nights and did not identify this problem until I was on the flight. I should have called in sick; since there was a reserve pilot. But; even en route to pdx; I could have reduced the effects of fatigue by turning off the heater; opening the storm window; and turning off the autoplt. These all could have helped me stay more alert; enough to hear the ATC xmissions; and to help me stay on the assigned course. As a single pilot flying at night; it is imperative for me to get enough rest to reduce the occurrence of fatigue; or to avoid flying if this problem persists.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINGLE PLT IN NIGHT IMC OPS APPEARED TO FALL ASLEEP DURING CRUISE FLT. ATC CTLR EVENTUALLY CONTACTS THE PLT AND VECTORS THE ACFT TO ITS DEST.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN PIPER PA31-350. I WAS ENRTE FROM BFI TO PDX; ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. THE CONDITIONS WERE IMC; AT NIGHT; CRUISING AT 8000 FT MSL; BUT THESE CONDITIONS DID NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE INCIDENT. I WAS ESTABLISHED ON V23; WHICH USES THE SEA VOR UNTIL 61 DME; WHEN THE PLT IS SUPPOSED TO SWITCH TO THE BTG VOR AND TUNE THE CDI TO 149 TO. PRIOR TO THIS LEG; I WAS STARTING TO EXPERIENCE A LITTLE FATIGUE ENRTE TO THE FIRST DEST ON THIS FLT. BECAUSE I WAS 45 MINS EARLY; I TOOK A NAP IN THE PLT LOUNGE FOR AT LEAST 30 MINS. FEELING RESTED AT XB00; I MET THE CARRIER AND DEPARTED AT XC00; AND DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY FATIGUE UNTIL AROUND XD00; ENRTE TO PDX. TIME WAS ALSO NOT A FACTOR IN THIS RPT; SINCE I WAS ALREADY BEHIND SCHEDULE. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED; I STARTED TO FEEL FATIGUED AGAIN AROUND XD00. THE LAST TIME I REMEMBER TALKING WITH ZSE WAS AROUND XE00. I DON'T RECALL ACTUALLY CLOSING MY EYES; BUT I HAD DEFINITELY 'ZONED OUT;' AND HAD MISSED SEVERAL RADIO XMISSIONS FROM CTR TRYING TO HAND ME OFF TO PORTLAND RAPCON. IN ADDITION TO MISSING THE RADIO CALLS; I HAD ALSO MISSED THE CHANGE OF COURSE; SO I WAS WELL OFF OF V23. CRUISING AT 8000 FT MSL; AND STILL NOT ON FREQ WITH PORTLAND APCH; I HAD UNDERSTANDABLY GIVEN APCH A DEFINITE SCARE. UNABLE TO CONTACT ME; PORTLAND APCH CALLED THE PDX MGR; WHO CALLED ME ON MY STANDBY RADIO. I HEARD THIS XMISSION LOUD AND CLR; AND I IMMEDIATELY CALLED PORTLAND APCH. BECAUSE I WAS SO HIGH; THE APCH CTLR HAD TO VECTOR ME AROUND TO AVOID THE ARR CORRIDOR. I LANDED AROUND XF00; AND WAS TOLD TO CALL ZSE AND GIVE THEM AN EXPLANATION. CLRLY; THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS INCIDENT WITH ATC WAS FATIGUE. I DID NOT GET ENOUGH SLEEP THE PREVIOUS 2 NIGHTS AND DID NOT IDENT THIS PROB UNTIL I WAS ON THE FLT. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED IN SICK; SINCE THERE WAS A RESERVE PLT. BUT; EVEN ENRTE TO PDX; I COULD HAVE REDUCED THE EFFECTS OF FATIGUE BY TURNING OFF THE HEATER; OPENING THE STORM WINDOW; AND TURNING OFF THE AUTOPLT. THESE ALL COULD HAVE HELPED ME STAY MORE ALERT; ENOUGH TO HEAR THE ATC XMISSIONS; AND TO HELP ME STAY ON THE ASSIGNED COURSE. AS A SINGLE PLT FLYING AT NIGHT; IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR ME TO GET ENOUGH REST TO REDUCE THE OCCURRENCE OF FATIGUE; OR TO AVOID FLYING IF THIS PROB PERSISTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.