Narrative:

Arrived to work at around XA45 to complete a scheduled cargo flight. Had done the same run for nearly a yr now and was very familiar with the route; times; etc. Departed ZZZ and arrived in ZZZ1 without any issues. Usually upon arrival; I get a crew car; go get something to eat; and come back and sleep for about 3 hours before I have to return to ZZZ. There was no crew car available; so I went upstairs and slept for 3 hours. Was woke at around XG00 by the driver stating my plane had been loaded and was ready to go. Went out and ran a preflight; checked WX; did weight and balance; and was off. Flight was fine up until about VOR. I felt very fatigued and tired. Got a handoff to center; only it was a frequency I had never used before. I could hear other planes but not the controller. Rather than take the chance of stepping on everybody; I chose to wait it out; hoping I could hear him/her better the further west I went. That is really the last thing I remember until I woke near ZZZ. The plane had a working autoplt and a GPS that I had programmed for the arrival I was assigned. The CDI was in GPS mode and slaved to the autoplt. When I woke I think I was 'somewhat near' where I was supposed to be on the arrival. Then I looked at my radios and altitude and then realized I had really messed up by falling asleep. I immediately changed the radio to ZZZ approach and he gave me an eastbound heading and a clearance to descend. He asked if I needed assistance. I said no and landed without further issues. I never received a phone number to call so I didn't really know what to do. I have never completed one of these forms; but was advised to do so by other pilots. I feel that this event happened due to inadequate sleep; insufficient nutrition; and complacency (boredom). While in college I took classes in human factors; and CRM; but reading about it and experiencing it are 2 entirely different things. I now see how dangerous fatigue really can be; and that it is not something to take 'lightly.' today I chose not to do something I had planned to do with friends; but rather slept instead. I feel that I am rested and can safely fly home without any repetition of last night's events.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHT TWIN PILOT REPORTS FALLING ASLEEP AT FL180 ON RETURN LEG OF ALL NIGHT FREIGHT RUN.

Narrative: ARRIVED TO WORK AT AROUND XA45 TO COMPLETE A SCHEDULED CARGO FLT. HAD DONE THE SAME RUN FOR NEARLY A YR NOW AND WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE RTE; TIMES; ETC. DEPARTED ZZZ AND ARRIVED IN ZZZ1 WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. USUALLY UPON ARR; I GET A CREW CAR; GO GET SOMETHING TO EAT; AND COME BACK AND SLEEP FOR ABOUT 3 HRS BEFORE I HAVE TO RETURN TO ZZZ. THERE WAS NO CREW CAR AVAILABLE; SO I WENT UPSTAIRS AND SLEPT FOR 3 HRS. WAS WOKE AT AROUND XG00 BY THE DRIVER STATING MY PLANE HAD BEEN LOADED AND WAS READY TO GO. WENT OUT AND RAN A PREFLT; CHKED WX; DID WT AND BAL; AND WAS OFF. FLT WAS FINE UP UNTIL ABOUT VOR. I FELT VERY FATIGUED AND TIRED. GOT A HDOF TO CTR; ONLY IT WAS A FREQ I HAD NEVER USED BEFORE. I COULD HEAR OTHER PLANES BUT NOT THE CTLR. RATHER THAN TAKE THE CHANCE OF STEPPING ON EVERYBODY; I CHOSE TO WAIT IT OUT; HOPING I COULD HEAR HIM/HER BETTER THE FURTHER W I WENT. THAT IS REALLY THE LAST THING I REMEMBER UNTIL I WOKE NEAR ZZZ. THE PLANE HAD A WORKING AUTOPLT AND A GPS THAT I HAD PROGRAMMED FOR THE ARR I WAS ASSIGNED. THE CDI WAS IN GPS MODE AND SLAVED TO THE AUTOPLT. WHEN I WOKE I THINK I WAS 'SOMEWHAT NEAR' WHERE I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE ARR. THEN I LOOKED AT MY RADIOS AND ALT AND THEN REALIZED I HAD REALLY MESSED UP BY FALLING ASLEEP. I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED THE RADIO TO ZZZ APCH AND HE GAVE ME AN EBOUND HDG AND A CLRNC TO DSND. HE ASKED IF I NEEDED ASSISTANCE. I SAID NO AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUES. I NEVER RECEIVED A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL SO I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO. I HAVE NEVER COMPLETED ONE OF THESE FORMS; BUT WAS ADVISED TO DO SO BY OTHER PLTS. I FEEL THAT THIS EVENT HAPPENED DUE TO INADEQUATE SLEEP; INSUFFICIENT NUTRITION; AND COMPLACENCY (BOREDOM). WHILE IN COLLEGE I TOOK CLASSES IN HUMAN FACTORS; AND CRM; BUT READING ABOUT IT AND EXPERIENCING IT ARE 2 ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THINGS. I NOW SEE HOW DANGEROUS FATIGUE REALLY CAN BE; AND THAT IT IS NOT SOMETHING TO TAKE 'LIGHTLY.' TODAY I CHOSE NOT TO DO SOMETHING I HAD PLANNED TO DO WITH FRIENDS; BUT RATHER SLEPT INSTEAD. I FEEL THAT I AM RESTED AND CAN SAFELY FLY HOME WITHOUT ANY REPETITION OF LAST NIGHT'S EVENTS.

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.