Small aircraft pilot in IFR flight plan feels fatigue and lack of concentration.

Attributes
ACN	181091
Time
Date	199104
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zjx
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zjx
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	181091
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

My wife and I were returning from florida to our home in maryland in perfect VFR WX. Though it was mid-morning and I had had a good night's sleep, I felt very tired and it took all my concentration to fly the aircraft. Although I was flying well, I was worried about the possibility of my condition worsening or how I would cope with poor WX or a mechanical problem. When I told my wife of the problem, she immediately fed me sections of an orange and my fatigue disappeared and my ability to concentrate returned. I recognized that I had become hypoglycemic. It was a lesson that I will never forget: I urge all pilots to carry a source of easily-digested sugar when they fly!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT IN IFR FLT PLAN FEELS FATIGUE AND LACK OF CONCENTRATION.

Narrative: MY WIFE AND I WERE RETURNING FROM FLORIDA TO OUR HOME IN MARYLAND IN PERFECT VFR WX. THOUGH IT WAS MID-MORNING AND I HAD HAD A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP, I FELT VERY TIRED AND IT TOOK ALL MY CONCENTRATION TO FLY THE ACFT. ALTHOUGH I WAS FLYING WELL, I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF MY CONDITION WORSENING OR HOW I WOULD COPE WITH POOR WX OR A MECHANICAL PROB. WHEN I TOLD MY WIFE OF THE PROB, SHE IMMEDIATELY FED ME SECTIONS OF AN ORANGE AND MY FATIGUE DISAPPEARED AND MY ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE RETURNED. I RECOGNIZED THAT I HAD BECOME HYPOGLYCEMIC. IT WAS A LESSON THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET: I URGE ALL PLTS TO CARRY A SOURCE OF EASILY-DIGESTED SUGAR WHEN THEY FLY!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.