Narrative:

During flight; I noticed several red flags indicating fatigue (missed radio calls; clearance confusion and difficulty maintaining focus). At this point I advised the captain I would be removing myself from the balance of the trip and it was my intent to notify the crew desk by ACARS. The captain admitted to feeling the same way and we both were removed from the balance of the trip. Looking back; these are the factors I feel contributed to the necessity to call in fatigued: 1) I had worked 8 out of the last 9 days having 2 r-day trips with only 1 day off in between. 2) while the 2 trips often had very little block time in a day; each trip cycled from late day starts and night flying to very early morning report times. 3) each trip involved reassignments for either mechanical problems; ATC/WX or both. 4) the day prior to calling fatigued; we were delayed for a mechanical problem and further delayed for ATC/WX. Our duty day was 14 hours 39 mins and our block time was 8 hours 20 mins. Additionally; our crew meal was not boarded requiring us to have dinner in the hotel when the day was complete. After finishing a meal near XA00 local time; I found it difficult to get a restful night of sleep. It is my opinion that inadequate recovery time between trips and repeated sleep cycle disruptions were the major factors up to a level of fatigue requiring removal from further flight assignment.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CREW REMOVED THEMSELVES FROM A TRIP AFTER FLYING HIGH BLOCK TIMES; DAY TO NIGHT DUTY CYCLE SWITCHES; POOR SLEEP; AND FEW DAYS OFF; CLAIMING THEY WERE FATIGUED.

Narrative: DURING FLT; I NOTICED SEVERAL RED FLAGS INDICATING FATIGUE (MISSED RADIO CALLS; CLRNC CONFUSION AND DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING FOCUS). AT THIS POINT I ADVISED THE CAPT I WOULD BE REMOVING MYSELF FROM THE BAL OF THE TRIP AND IT WAS MY INTENT TO NOTIFY THE CREW DESK BY ACARS. THE CAPT ADMITTED TO FEELING THE SAME WAY AND WE BOTH WERE REMOVED FROM THE BAL OF THE TRIP. LOOKING BACK; THESE ARE THE FACTORS I FEEL CONTRIBUTED TO THE NECESSITY TO CALL IN FATIGUED: 1) I HAD WORKED 8 OUT OF THE LAST 9 DAYS HAVING 2 R-DAY TRIPS WITH ONLY 1 DAY OFF IN BTWN. 2) WHILE THE 2 TRIPS OFTEN HAD VERY LITTLE BLOCK TIME IN A DAY; EACH TRIP CYCLED FROM LATE DAY STARTS AND NIGHT FLYING TO VERY EARLY MORNING RPT TIMES. 3) EACH TRIP INVOLVED REASSIGNMENTS FOR EITHER MECHANICAL PROBS; ATC/WX OR BOTH. 4) THE DAY PRIOR TO CALLING FATIGUED; WE WERE DELAYED FOR A MECHANICAL PROB AND FURTHER DELAYED FOR ATC/WX. OUR DUTY DAY WAS 14 HRS 39 MINS AND OUR BLOCK TIME WAS 8 HRS 20 MINS. ADDITIONALLY; OUR CREW MEAL WAS NOT BOARDED REQUIRING US TO HAVE DINNER IN THE HOTEL WHEN THE DAY WAS COMPLETE. AFTER FINISHING A MEAL NEAR XA00 LCL TIME; I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO GET A RESTFUL NIGHT OF SLEEP. IT IS MY OPINION THAT INADEQUATE RECOVERY TIME BTWN TRIPS AND REPEATED SLEEP CYCLE DISRUPTIONS WERE THE MAJOR FACTORS UP TO A LEVEL OF FATIGUE REQUIRING REMOVAL FROM FURTHER FLT ASSIGNMENT.

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.