An air carrier pilot describes a four day trip that flies the first three days as all nighters and e...

Attributes
ACN	812192
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	812192
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Trip XXX; a 4-DAY trip starting late evening on day 1 through day 3 with all-nighters each night. The report describes start; end; and block times for each day. Same pairing; reported many times before over many months. Same issues. Unsafe pairing. Operates early out of ZZZ with 235 situation in ZZZ1 to circumvent all-night duty day restr in contract. Finishes with all-night flight to ZZZ2 -- high altitude; high terrain airport with language barrier and multiple obstructions on runway (dogs; rabbits; birds). Divert options very limited due to landing weight restrs limiting fuel load and alternates also with margin WX forecast. Typical scenario on limited rest layover is 25 hours. Body clock drives 8 hours sleep followed by difficulty sleeping for rest of layover. Takeoff time the next day is time when body is ready to go back to bed. All crews are fatigued on return which is scheduled for an 8 hour day. Realistically; it is over 9 hours of duty when allowing for clearing customs in ZZZ1 and changing planes to ZZZ. Circadian rhythm dictates that most crews will be flying fatigued with no rem sleep in over 24 hours. Don't fly this trip at these hours. If must be done; should be flown as a turn out of ZZZ1 so no circadian sleep issues. Fatigue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIR CARRIER PILOT DESCRIBES A FOUR DAY TRIP THAT FLIES THE FIRST THREE DAYS AS ALL NIGHTERS AND ENDS THE FOURTH DAY WITH A LONG MULTI-LEG DAYLIGHT FLIGHT. EXTREME FATIGUE RESULTS FROM CIRCADIAN RHYTHM EFFECTS AND LACK OF SLEEP.

Narrative: TRIP XXX; A 4-DAY TRIP STARTING LATE EVENING ON DAY 1 THROUGH DAY 3 WITH ALL-NIGHTERS EACH NIGHT. THE RPT DESCRIBES START; END; AND BLOCK TIMES FOR EACH DAY. SAME PAIRING; RPTED MANY TIMES BEFORE OVER MANY MONTHS. SAME ISSUES. UNSAFE PAIRING. OPERATES EARLY OUT OF ZZZ WITH 235 SIT IN ZZZ1 TO CIRCUMVENT ALL-NIGHT DUTY DAY RESTR IN CONTRACT. FINISHES WITH ALL-NIGHT FLT TO ZZZ2 -- HIGH ALT; HIGH TERRAIN ARPT WITH LANGUAGE BARRIER AND MULTIPLE OBSTRUCTIONS ON RWY (DOGS; RABBITS; BIRDS). DIVERT OPTIONS VERY LIMITED DUE TO LNDG WT RESTRS LIMITING FUEL LOAD AND ALTERNATES ALSO WITH MARGIN WX FORECAST. TYPICAL SCENARIO ON LIMITED REST LAYOVER IS 25 HRS. BODY CLOCK DRIVES 8 HRS SLEEP FOLLOWED BY DIFFICULTY SLEEPING FOR REST OF LAYOVER. TKOF TIME THE NEXT DAY IS TIME WHEN BODY IS READY TO GO BACK TO BED. ALL CREWS ARE FATIGUED ON RETURN WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR AN 8 HR DAY. REALISTICALLY; IT IS OVER 9 HRS OF DUTY WHEN ALLOWING FOR CLEARING CUSTOMS IN ZZZ1 AND CHANGING PLANES TO ZZZ. CIRCADIAN RHYTHM DICTATES THAT MOST CREWS WILL BE FLYING FATIGUED WITH NO REM SLEEP IN OVER 24 HRS. DON'T FLY THIS TRIP AT THESE HRS. IF MUST BE DONE; SHOULD BE FLOWN AS A TURN OUT OF ZZZ1 SO NO CIRCADIAN SLEEP ISSUES. FATIGUE.

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.

An air carrier pilot describes a four day trip that flies the first three days as all nighters and ends the fourth day with a long multi-leg daylight flight. Extreme fatigue results from circadian rhythm effects and lack of sleep.