Exceeded 30 in 7. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	80930
Time
Date	198801
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	80930
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During flying a series of trips for my company (large regional carrier in the mid-west) I inadvertently exceeded the 30 hours in any 7 consecutive days requirement of far 121.471[a]. On the morning of january 1988 I calculated that I had flown 25.1 hours in the last four days and that I was therefore legal to complete my trip which was scheduled for 4.5 block hours for that day. Unfortunately, the next day upon closer scrutiny, I realized that I had overlooked a reroute that occurred on january 1988 of two hours therefore making the scheduled trip on january illegal. There are several factors that I believed contributed to this oversight and I believe reflect problems within the industry in general. These factors are: long duty days on minimum legal rest, unrealistic scheduling of flts, inadequate breaks between flight for preflight and for crew meals, and pressures to make schedules in less than ideal WX conditions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: error was discovered the following day, after the fact. Suggested he call the FAA hotline and give a full account of the scheduling practice of his company. Advised company does keep duty records but he is aware it is still his final responsibility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EXCEEDED 30 IN 7.

Narrative: DURING FLYING A SERIES OF TRIPS FOR MY COMPANY (LARGE REGIONAL CARRIER IN THE MID-WEST) I INADVERTENTLY EXCEEDED THE 30 HRS IN ANY 7 CONSECUTIVE DAYS REQUIREMENT OF FAR 121.471[A]. ON THE MORNING OF JANUARY 1988 I CALCULATED THAT I HAD FLOWN 25.1 HRS IN THE LAST FOUR DAYS AND THAT I WAS THEREFORE LEGAL TO COMPLETE MY TRIP WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FOR 4.5 BLOCK HRS FOR THAT DAY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE NEXT DAY UPON CLOSER SCRUTINY, I REALIZED THAT I HAD OVERLOOKED A REROUTE THAT OCCURRED ON JANUARY 1988 OF TWO HRS THEREFORE MAKING THE SCHEDULED TRIP ON JANUARY ILLEGAL. THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT I BELIEVED CONTRIBUTED TO THIS OVERSIGHT AND I BELIEVE REFLECT PROBS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY IN GENERAL. THESE FACTORS ARE: LONG DUTY DAYS ON MINIMUM LEGAL REST, UNREALISTIC SCHEDULING OF FLTS, INADEQUATE BREAKS BTWN FLT FOR PREFLT AND FOR CREW MEALS, AND PRESSURES TO MAKE SCHEDULES IN LESS THAN IDEAL WX CONDITIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: ERROR WAS DISCOVERED THE FOLLOWING DAY, AFTER THE FACT. SUGGESTED HE CALL THE FAA HOTLINE AND GIVE A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE SCHEDULING PRACTICE OF HIS COMPANY. ADVISED COMPANY DOES KEEP DUTY RECORDS BUT HE IS AWARE IT IS STILL HIS FINAL RESPONSIBILITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.