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First officer of DC9 reports apparently narcoleptic captain was asleep when the autoplt disconnected.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 785945 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200805 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : hgo.vortac |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 30000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 30 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 784945 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Captain was PF. I was PNF; accomplishing flight related paperwork. I heard the distinct click of the autoplt disconnecting and looked up to observe the autoplt disconnect light illuminated. I then woke the captain to inform him that the autoplt had disconnected. He awoke startled and regained control of the aircraft without deviation from altitude or course. Flight was completed without further incident. Captain of the flight frequently falls asleep involuntarily; and appears to have difficulty maintaining consciousness for longer than 15 mins during cruise flight.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FO OF DC9 REPORTS APPARENTLY NARCOLEPTIC CAPTAIN WAS ASLEEP WHEN THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED.
Narrative: CAPT WAS PF. I WAS PNF; ACCOMPLISHING FLT RELATED PAPERWORK. I HEARD THE DISTINCT CLICK OF THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTING AND LOOKED UP TO OBSERVE THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I THEN WOKE THE CAPT TO INFORM HIM THAT THE AUTOPLT HAD DISCONNECTED. HE AWOKE STARTLED AND REGAINED CTL OF THE ACFT WITHOUT DEV FROM ALT OR COURSE. FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CAPT OF THE FLT FREQUENTLY FALLS ASLEEP INVOLUNTARILY; AND APPEARS TO HAVE DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING CONSCIOUSNESS FOR LONGER THAN 15 MINS DURING CRUISE FLT.
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.