Narrative:

I was notified by scheduling that I was junior man to fly a 4 day trip out of base. The scheduler said 2 junior first officer's called in sick. She said it was an international destination trip with a deadhead. As I had over 2 hours before I had to leave home; I cleaned up the work I was doing in the garage; came in; packed and showered. Then I went to the computer to check the flight. Up to this time; I had assumed the international destination trip was for the following day. As it turned out; it was for that night; and the 2 junior pilots had not called in sick but fatigued. Since it was getting late; I just went to the airport for the trip. I was in coach for deadhead and could not get a nap. I arrived for the international destination flight 30 mins after departure time and didn't have time to prepare for the flight; so I suggested that the relief pilot and I change places. During my 2 1/2 hour crew break; I tried to nap but was unable due to turbulence. When it came time for descent and landing; I was having such a hard time staying alert; I once again traded places with the relief pilot and had him situation in the first officer position. At landing; I had been up for over 24 hours. Looking back; I should never have accepted this assignment as it was inevitable I would be fatigued by the time we arrived. Using out-of-base pilots to cover back-side-of-the-clock flts is inherently dangerous. I certainly would not want my family on an international flight with a pilot who was on duty for 24 hours.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 RELIEF PLT WAS SENT OUT OF BASE TO FLY ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK BECAUSE TWO OTHER PLTS HAD CALLED IN FATIGUED.

Narrative: I WAS NOTIFIED BY SCHEDULING THAT I WAS JUNIOR MAN TO FLY A 4 DAY TRIP OUT OF BASE. THE SCHEDULER SAID 2 JUNIOR FO'S CALLED IN SICK. SHE SAID IT WAS AN INTL DEST TRIP WITH A DEADHEAD. AS I HAD OVER 2 HRS BEFORE I HAD TO LEAVE HOME; I CLEANED UP THE WORK I WAS DOING IN THE GARAGE; CAME IN; PACKED AND SHOWERED. THEN I WENT TO THE COMPUTER TO CHK THE FLT. UP TO THIS TIME; I HAD ASSUMED THE INTL DEST TRIP WAS FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY. AS IT TURNED OUT; IT WAS FOR THAT NIGHT; AND THE 2 JUNIOR PLTS HAD NOT CALLED IN SICK BUT FATIGUED. SINCE IT WAS GETTING LATE; I JUST WENT TO THE ARPT FOR THE TRIP. I WAS IN COACH FOR DEADHEAD AND COULD NOT GET A NAP. I ARRIVED FOR THE INTL DEST FLT 30 MINS AFTER DEP TIME AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE FLT; SO I SUGGESTED THAT THE RELIEF PLT AND I CHANGE PLACES. DURING MY 2 1/2 HR CREW BREAK; I TRIED TO NAP BUT WAS UNABLE DUE TO TURB. WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR DSCNT AND LNDG; I WAS HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME STAYING ALERT; I ONCE AGAIN TRADED PLACES WITH THE RELIEF PLT AND HAD HIM SIT IN THE FO POS. AT LNDG; I HAD BEEN UP FOR OVER 24 HRS. LOOKING BACK; I SHOULD NEVER HAVE ACCEPTED THIS ASSIGNMENT AS IT WAS INEVITABLE I WOULD BE FATIGUED BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED. USING OUT-OF-BASE PLTS TO COVER BACK-SIDE-OF-THE-CLOCK FLTS IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT WANT MY FAMILY ON AN INTL FLT WITH A PLT WHO WAS ON DUTY FOR 24 HRS.

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.