Pilot of air carrier heavy transport flew when not physically qualified.

Attributes
ACN	103109
Time
Date	198901
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 230
ASRS Report	103109
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Was ill at home (barfed at XA30). Went to airport and flew trip anyway (XC50 departure). This compromise of safety encouraged by 2 factors: airline has a program whereby employees who do not use sick leave for 6 months or more are eligible for prizes. Pilots who use excessive sick leave over 2.8 days per 12 month period are called into office of ord chief pilot or flight manager and are given counseling on employee reliability. This practice of rewarding air crews not to call in sick in order to avoid counseling or to win awards is a compromise of safety by a part 121 carrier. This may be avoided by: cancelling sick leave saving awards program. Censuring airline on practice of sick leave harassment. Causing air crew supervisory personnel to become aware of the true results of their excessive zeal in search of the favorable bottom line. Educating air crews of the fact that sick leave is a right, not a benefit to be hoarded, and that its use is to be freely exercised without fear of reprisal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF ACR HVT FLEW WHEN NOT PHYSICALLY QUALIFIED.

Narrative: WAS ILL AT HOME (BARFED AT XA30). WENT TO ARPT AND FLEW TRIP ANYWAY (XC50 DEP). THIS COMPROMISE OF SAFETY ENCOURAGED BY 2 FACTORS: AIRLINE HAS A PROGRAM WHEREBY EMPLOYEES WHO DO NOT USE SICK LEAVE FOR 6 MONTHS OR MORE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PRIZES. PLTS WHO USE EXCESSIVE SICK LEAVE OVER 2.8 DAYS PER 12 MONTH PERIOD ARE CALLED INTO OFFICE OF ORD CHIEF PLT OR FLT MGR AND ARE GIVEN COUNSELING ON EMPLOYEE RELIABILITY. THIS PRACTICE OF REWARDING AIR CREWS NOT TO CALL IN SICK IN ORDER TO AVOID COUNSELING OR TO WIN AWARDS IS A COMPROMISE OF SAFETY BY A PART 121 CARRIER. THIS MAY BE AVOIDED BY: CANCELLING SICK LEAVE SAVING AWARDS PROGRAM. CENSURING AIRLINE ON PRACTICE OF SICK LEAVE HARASSMENT. CAUSING AIR CREW SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL TO BECOME AWARE OF THE TRUE RESULTS OF THEIR EXCESSIVE ZEAL IN SEARCH OF THE FAVORABLE BOTTOM LINE. EDUCATING AIR CREWS OF THE FACT THAT SICK LEAVE IS A RIGHT, NOT A BENEFIT TO BE HOARDED, AND THAT ITS USE IS TO BE FREELY EXERCISED WITHOUT FEAR OF REPRISAL.

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.