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An air carrier first officer is fatigued from back to back transcontinental all night flights with minimum crew rest.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 778800 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200803 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zzz.artcc |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 38000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 778800 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : company policies other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
On flight ZZZ-ZZZ1; found myself struggling to stay awake due to fatigue. The previous leg we flew was an all-nighter from ZZZ2 to ZZZ which got us at XA30. We then had just over 12 hours rest and had to report back to fly at XM30 to fly more than 5 hours to ZZZ1. At XL00 I did not feel fatigued. The fatigue set in during the 5 1/2 hour leg to ZZZ1. That leg is much too long to follow an all-nighter with minimum rest in between. Also; air carrier's 'special tracking' policy has the effect of intimidating pilots from calling in sick or fatigued (which seems to be the point). I felt pressured to fly the trip because I could not say at XL00 that I was fatigued even though there was a very high likelihood I would fall fatigued during the flight. In addition; the abusive schedules at this air carrier month after month are having a cumulative fatiguing effect flying over 90 hours every month with no way to change your schedule is very tiring. It seems more and more people are showing up to work in distraction and agitated states of mind.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR FO IS FATIGUED FROM BACK TO BACK TRANSCONTINENTAL ALL NIGHT FLIGHTS WITH MINIMUM CREW REST.
Narrative: ON FLT ZZZ-ZZZ1; FOUND MYSELF STRUGGLING TO STAY AWAKE DUE TO FATIGUE. THE PREVIOUS LEG WE FLEW WAS AN ALL-NIGHTER FROM ZZZ2 TO ZZZ WHICH GOT US AT XA30. WE THEN HAD JUST OVER 12 HRS REST AND HAD TO RPT BACK TO FLY AT XM30 TO FLY MORE THAN 5 HRS TO ZZZ1. AT XL00 I DID NOT FEEL FATIGUED. THE FATIGUE SET IN DURING THE 5 1/2 HR LEG TO ZZZ1. THAT LEG IS MUCH TOO LONG TO FOLLOW AN ALL-NIGHTER WITH MINIMUM REST IN BTWN. ALSO; ACR'S 'SPECIAL TRACKING' POLICY HAS THE EFFECT OF INTIMIDATING PLTS FROM CALLING IN SICK OR FATIGUED (WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE POINT). I FELT PRESSURED TO FLY THE TRIP BECAUSE I COULD NOT SAY AT XL00 THAT I WAS FATIGUED EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A VERY HIGH LIKELIHOOD I WOULD FALL FATIGUED DURING THE FLT. IN ADDITION; THE ABUSIVE SCHEDULES AT THIS ACR MONTH AFTER MONTH ARE HAVING A CUMULATIVE FATIGUING EFFECT FLYING OVER 90 HRS EVERY MONTH WITH NO WAY TO CHANGE YOUR SCHEDULE IS VERY TIRING. IT SEEMS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE SHOWING UP TO WORK IN DISTR AND AGITATED STATES OF MIND.
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.