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Air carrier first officer reports failure to meet crossing restriction was due to flight crew fatigue which resulted from physiologically punishing flight crew scheduling and pressure to fly when sick by the air carrier.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 772488 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200802 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phx.airport |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl single value : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival star : eagul |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2800 |
| ASRS Report | 772488 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
While descending via the eagul 2 RNAV arrival into phoenix; we missed an ATC crossing restr. We were given the clearance about 5 mins prior to the restr. I believe the main factor of this error was chronic pilot fatigue. Due to a pilot shortage at our air carrier; we have been flying the maximum hours per month with minimum days off and FLIP-flop schedules (early morning wakeups followed by all night flying). This leads to a degree of fatigue where I forget something I would not if I were awake. The other problem is that both of the pilots were sick with flu-like symptoms for days before the incident. If a pilot calls in sick with our air carrier; the pilot will immediately be directed to a chief pilot in an attempt to force the pilot to work. This is a very unsafe way to run a company.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR FO REPORTS FAILURE TO MEET CROSSING RESTRICTION WAS DUE TO FLT CREW FATIGUE WHICH RESULTED FROM PHYSIOLOGICALLY PUNISHING FLT CREW SCHEDULING AND PRESSURE TO FLY WHEN SICK BY THE ACR.
Narrative: WHILE DSNDING VIA THE EAGUL 2 RNAV ARR INTO PHOENIX; WE MISSED AN ATC XING RESTR. WE WERE GIVEN THE CLRNC ABOUT 5 MINS PRIOR TO THE RESTR. I BELIEVE THE MAIN FACTOR OF THIS ERROR WAS CHRONIC PLT FATIGUE. DUE TO A PLT SHORTAGE AT OUR ACR; WE HAVE BEEN FLYING THE MAX HRS PER MONTH WITH MINIMUM DAYS OFF AND FLIP-FLOP SCHEDULES (EARLY MORNING WAKEUPS FOLLOWED BY ALL NIGHT FLYING). THIS LEADS TO A DEGREE OF FATIGUE WHERE I FORGET SOMETHING I WOULD NOT IF I WERE AWAKE. THE OTHER PROB IS THAT BOTH OF THE PLTS WERE SICK WITH FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS FOR DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT. IF A PLT CALLS IN SICK WITH OUR ACR; THE PLT WILL IMMEDIATELY BE DIRECTED TO A CHIEF PLT IN AN ATTEMPT TO FORCE THE PLT TO WORK. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE WAY TO RUN A COMPANY.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.