Air taxi, cargo, pilot falls asleep for 30 mins at cruise. Heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	199313
Time
Date	199201
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 350 flight time total : 3000
ASRS Report	199313
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After contacting atlanta approach I fell asleep. This occurred at approximately XX40 pm. When I awoke it was approximately 30 mins later and I was about 70 mi northeast of atlanta. I immediately tuned in the harris VOR to discover my location. After this I found an atlanta center frequency and contacted them. They vectored me back to atlanta where I was handed off to approach and then tower and landed. Some of the causes I think were: too long of a flight. It originated in jan and went to mob then mgm then atl. Fear of upsetting my company if I called in sick. Lack of sleep during the day. To prevent these situations I think there needs to be better arrangements with acrs in dealing with these situations where the employee needs to be off for unsafe situations like this. I also think these runs need to be shorter and they are too close to exceeding flight and duty time limitations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI, CARGO, PLT FALLS ASLEEP FOR 30 MINS AT CRUISE. HDG DEV.

Narrative: AFTER CONTACTING ATLANTA APCH I FELL ASLEEP. THIS OCCURRED AT APPROX XX40 PM. WHEN I AWOKE IT WAS APPROX 30 MINS LATER AND I WAS ABOUT 70 MI NE OF ATLANTA. I IMMEDIATELY TUNED IN THE HARRIS VOR TO DISCOVER MY LOCATION. AFTER THIS I FOUND AN ATLANTA CENTER FREQ AND CONTACTED THEM. THEY VECTORED ME BACK TO ATLANTA WHERE I WAS HANDED OFF TO APCH AND THEN TWR AND LANDED. SOME OF THE CAUSES I THINK WERE: TOO LONG OF A FLT. IT ORIGINATED IN JAN AND WENT TO MOB THEN MGM THEN ATL. FEAR OF UPSETTING MY COMPANY IF I CALLED IN SICK. LACK OF SLEEP DURING THE DAY. TO PREVENT THESE SITUATIONS I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER ARRANGEMENTS WITH ACRS IN DEALING WITH THESE SITUATIONS WHERE THE EMPLOYEE NEEDS TO BE OFF FOR UNSAFE SITUATIONS LIKE THIS. I ALSO THINK THESE RUNS NEED TO BE SHORTER AND THEY ARE TOO CLOSE TO EXCEEDING FLT AND DUTY TIME LIMITATIONS.

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.