B757-200 captain reports falling asleep at FL330 and being awakened by the first officer.

Attributes
ACN	761580
Time
Date	200711
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 17500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	761580
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

The first officer had been flying and we had been level at FL330 for about 45 mins. The trip required 2 days of waking up at XA00; and I had a difficult time getting to sleep the night before. This was our second leg of the day; and I felt slightly fatigued. I also had a sinus congestion due to the smoke from the recent forest fires. I fell asleep without knowing it and slumped to the side. The first officer grabbed me and pulled the chair back. He also called the flight attendant to the cockpit for assistance. I woke up startled at the episode and concerned over what had happened. The flight attendant; the first officer and I discussed the incident. Although I was concerned over what had happened; I did not see any medical condition that would have endangered the safety of the flight. The first officer and I discussed it and decided to continue. Upon landing; I called in sick; and returned home. I also discussed the incident with a human factors manager at air carrier and we determined that although the incident may have been caused mostly by fatigue; I should have a full medical check-up at home to rule out any health issues.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 CAPT REPORTS FALLING ASLEEP AT FL330 AND BEING AWAKENED BY THE FO.

Narrative: THE FO HAD BEEN FLYING AND WE HAD BEEN LEVEL AT FL330 FOR ABOUT 45 MINS. THE TRIP REQUIRED 2 DAYS OF WAKING UP AT XA00; AND I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING TO SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE. THIS WAS OUR SECOND LEG OF THE DAY; AND I FELT SLIGHTLY FATIGUED. I ALSO HAD A SINUS CONGESTION DUE TO THE SMOKE FROM THE RECENT FOREST FIRES. I FELL ASLEEP WITHOUT KNOWING IT AND SLUMPED TO THE SIDE. THE FO GRABBED ME AND PULLED THE CHAIR BACK. HE ALSO CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO THE COCKPIT FOR ASSISTANCE. I WOKE UP STARTLED AT THE EPISODE AND CONCERNED OVER WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE FLT ATTENDANT; THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT. ALTHOUGH I WAS CONCERNED OVER WHAT HAD HAPPENED; I DID NOT SEE ANY MEDICAL CONDITION THAT WOULD HAVE ENDANGERED THE SAFETY OF THE FLT. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED IT AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE. UPON LNDG; I CALLED IN SICK; AND RETURNED HOME. I ALSO DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT WITH A HUMAN FACTORS MGR AT ACR AND WE DETERMINED THAT ALTHOUGH THE INCIDENT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED MOSTLY BY FATIGUE; I SHOULD HAVE A FULL MEDICAL CHK-UP AT HOME TO RULE OUT ANY HEALTH ISSUES.

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.