Narrative:

Pilot pushing: air carrier X ran out of available reserve first officer's in lax for our lax-ZZZ1 flight so they sent an first officer from ZZZ2 who was on duty since earlier to depart lax at XA43 the following morning (2 pilot crew). He would have been on duty in excess of our contractual agreed upon 14 hours for duty during what is commonly known as the 'window of circadian low' (wocl) for this flight lax to ZZZ1. The first officer called his chief pilot prior to departing ZZZ2 for lax knowing that it would not work and the chief told him to; 'just go to lax and see if you are fatigued at that point' ('pilot pushing'). The FAA allows 16 hours on duty during 'wocl' (and that is ridiculous as well). Air carrier X was trying to get the first officer to violate contract and common sense and 'press on' up to FAA maximum to compensate for understaffing disregarding safety. NASA has done fatigue studies and needs to enlighten the FAA on findings (the airlines could care less) more forcefully before we (the traveling public) have a big hole in the ground. Needless to say I exercised my captain's authority/authorized (fatigue) and we delayed departure until the following afternoon after 8 hour rest.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPTAIN REPORTS HIS ACR IS PUSHING PLTS TO EXCEED CONTRACTUAL AND FAR LIMITS DUE TO A SHORTAGE OF PLTS. REFUSES TO FLY TRANSCONTINENTAL TRIP DEPARTING WITH A FATIGUED FO.

Narrative: PLT PUSHING: ACR X RAN OUT OF AVAILABLE RESERVE FO'S IN LAX FOR OUR LAX-ZZZ1 FLT SO THEY SENT AN FO FROM ZZZ2 WHO WAS ON DUTY SINCE EARLIER TO DEPART LAX AT XA43 THE FOLLOWING MORNING (2 PLT CREW). HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON DUTY IN EXCESS OF OUR CONTRACTUAL AGREED UPON 14 HRS FOR DUTY DURING WHAT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE 'WINDOW OF CIRCADIAN LOW' (WOCL) FOR THIS FLT LAX TO ZZZ1. THE FO CALLED HIS CHIEF PLT PRIOR TO DEPARTING ZZZ2 FOR LAX KNOWING THAT IT WOULD NOT WORK AND THE CHIEF TOLD HIM TO; 'JUST GO TO LAX AND SEE IF YOU ARE FATIGUED AT THAT POINT' ('PLT PUSHING'). THE FAA ALLOWS 16 HRS ON DUTY DURING 'WOCL' (AND THAT IS RIDICULOUS AS WELL). ACR X WAS TRYING TO GET THE FO TO VIOLATE CONTRACT AND COMMON SENSE AND 'PRESS ON' UP TO FAA MAX TO COMPENSATE FOR UNDERSTAFFING DISREGARDING SAFETY. NASA HAS DONE FATIGUE STUDIES AND NEEDS TO ENLIGHTEN THE FAA ON FINDINGS (THE AIRLINES COULD CARE LESS) MORE FORCEFULLY BEFORE WE (THE TRAVELING PUBLIC) HAVE A BIG HOLE IN THE GND. NEEDLESS TO SAY I EXERCISED MY CAPT'S AUTH (FATIGUE) AND WE DELAYED DEP UNTIL THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON AFTER 8 HR REST.

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.