 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A320 captain describes extreme fatigue after a series of late night flights.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1019201 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201206 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Captain Pilot Not Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 165 Flight Crew Total 11800 Flight Crew Type 5500 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Other Fatigue |
Narrative:
Fatigue isn't an appropriate word to describe my state during the last hour of cruise. Totally exhausted would be more appropriate. I could not remember frequencies I had read back 10 seconds earlier. Although our departure had been delayed an hour due to late arriving aircraft; I felt ok to fly and was fine through takeoff; climb; and first few hours of cruise. But the ridiculous schedule I've been given caught up to me in the late stages of the flight. I have had 1 of the last 11 days off; and in that period have flown 3 all nighters; and one early departure. This type of scheduling is unnecessary; thoughtless; unhealthy; and dangerous. Going forward I have 2 days off; then 3 on; 1 off; and 5 on. This type of flying might sound fine to someone who is in an office 8 hours a day; 5 days a week; but in the actual operation with almost every flight being delayed (note not one due to pilot issues); it is proving to be unsustainable. I will be evaluating my level of fatigue carefully before each leg.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A320 Captain describes extreme fatigue after a series of late night flights.
Narrative: Fatigue isn't an appropriate word to describe my state during the last hour of cruise. Totally exhausted would be more appropriate. I could not remember frequencies I had read back 10 seconds earlier. Although our departure had been delayed an hour due to late arriving aircraft; I felt ok to fly and was fine through takeoff; climb; and first few hours of cruise. But the ridiculous schedule I've been given caught up to me in the late stages of the flight. I have had 1 of the last 11 days off; and in that period have flown 3 all nighters; and one early departure. This type of scheduling is unnecessary; thoughtless; unhealthy; and dangerous. Going forward I have 2 days off; then 3 on; 1 off; and 5 on. This type of flying might sound fine to someone who is in an office 8 hours a day; 5 days a week; but in the actual operation with almost every flight being delayed (note not ONE due to pilot issues); it is proving to be unsustainable. I will be evaluating my level of fatigue carefully before each leg.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.