B737-700 captain reports flight assignment unsafe due to unrealistic scheduled flight time on first ...

Narrative:

Trip pairing 1234 ZZZ1-ZZZ2 is an unsafe pairing. The problem I have with this pairing is that it appears that this pairing doesn't realistically reflect an accurate block time on flight ZZZ1-ZZZ2. After completing the flight; our actual block time was 6 hours 40 mins. To compound problems; rather than ending the day's work in ZZZ2; it continues on to ZZZ3. I didn't realize how fatigued I was until I was on approach into ZZZ3. Had I known in advanced I would have arrived ZZZ3 as fatigued as I did; I would have never departed from ZZZ2 due to crew fatigue. The pairing needs to reflect a more accurate block time on flight ZZZ1-ZZZ2. Also; after arriving ZZZ2; the crew should go into crew rest rather than continue on to ZZZ3. It is very hard on body rhythms and clocks flying an all-nighter on the first day of duty; only to be forced to switch my body's clock to an early morning departure the following morning. When building pairings; the company needs to take into account body rhythms and sleep patterns. Fatigue due to inappropriately built pairing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 CAPTAIN REPORTS FLIGHT ASSIGNMENT UNSAFE DUE TO UNREALISTIC SCHEDULED FLT TIME ON FIRST LEG COMBINED WITH FATIGUE DUE TO ALTERNATING LATE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING STARTS TO DUTY DAYS.

Narrative: TRIP PAIRING 1234 ZZZ1-ZZZ2 IS AN UNSAFE PAIRING. THE PROB I HAVE WITH THIS PAIRING IS THAT IT APPEARS THAT THIS PAIRING DOESN'T REALISTICALLY REFLECT AN ACCURATE BLOCK TIME ON FLT ZZZ1-ZZZ2. AFTER COMPLETING THE FLT; OUR ACTUAL BLOCK TIME WAS 6 HRS 40 MINS. TO COMPOUND PROBS; RATHER THAN ENDING THE DAY'S WORK IN ZZZ2; IT CONTINUES ON TO ZZZ3. I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW FATIGUED I WAS UNTIL I WAS ON APCH INTO ZZZ3. HAD I KNOWN IN ADVANCED I WOULD HAVE ARRIVED ZZZ3 AS FATIGUED AS I DID; I WOULD HAVE NEVER DEPARTED FROM ZZZ2 DUE TO CREW FATIGUE. THE PAIRING NEEDS TO REFLECT A MORE ACCURATE BLOCK TIME ON FLT ZZZ1-ZZZ2. ALSO; AFTER ARRIVING ZZZ2; THE CREW SHOULD GO INTO CREW REST RATHER THAN CONTINUE ON TO ZZZ3. IT IS VERY HARD ON BODY RHYTHMS AND CLOCKS FLYING AN ALL-NIGHTER ON THE FIRST DAY OF DUTY; ONLY TO BE FORCED TO SWITCH MY BODY'S CLOCK TO AN EARLY MORNING DEP THE FOLLOWING MORNING. WHEN BUILDING PAIRINGS; THE COMPANY NEEDS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT BODY RHYTHMS AND SLEEP PATTERNS. FATIGUE DUE TO INAPPROPRIATELY BUILT PAIRING.

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.

Attributes
ACN	780584
Time
Date	200803
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time type : 9500
ASRS Report	780584
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Company

B737-700 captain reports flight assignment unsafe due to unrealistic scheduled flight time on first leg combined with fatigue due to alternating late night and early morning starts to duty days.