Charter pilot flying cargo, early am, falls asleep.

Attributes
ACN	202933
Time
Date	199202
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : irk
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	202933
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I fell asleep in straight and level cruise in the early am. I maintained my altitude (purely accidentally) but my heading drifted from 250 degree to 120 degree. The controller woke me up by calling me and pointed my heading error out. After clearing my head I returned to my original heading about 10 mi south of my original course. I was only asleep for approximately 3-4 mins and when I awoke my wings were virtually level, showing that it had been a slow drift. I am on a night schedule, however, I had an extra backload the day before setting my usual time to bed back about five (5) hours. The center frequency was absolutely 'dead' creating a relatively quiet' atmosphere. I found myself tired often when I first started 'nights' however I have never fallen asleep before and have been alert during my daily night flts. I plan to converse more with the controllers or bring some music along to listen to to keep this problem from arising again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHARTER PLT FLYING CARGO, EARLY AM, FALLS ASLEEP.

Narrative: I FELL ASLEEP IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL CRUISE IN THE EARLY AM. I MAINTAINED MY ALTITUDE (PURELY ACCIDENTALLY) BUT MY HDG DRIFTED FROM 250 DEG TO 120 DEG. THE CTLR WOKE ME UP BY CALLING ME AND POINTED MY HDG ERROR OUT. AFTER CLRING MY HEAD I RETURNED TO MY ORIGINAL HDG ABOUT 10 MI S OF MY ORIGINAL COURSE. I WAS ONLY ASLEEP FOR APPROX 3-4 MINS AND WHEN I AWOKE MY WINGS WERE VIRTUALLY LEVEL, SHOWING THAT IT HAD BEEN A SLOW DRIFT. I AM ON A NIGHT SCHEDULE, HOWEVER, I HAD AN EXTRA BACKLOAD THE DAY BEFORE SETTING MY USUAL TIME TO BED BACK ABOUT FIVE (5) HRS. THE CTR FREQ WAS ABSOLUTELY 'DEAD' CREATING A RELATIVELY QUIET' ATMOSPHERE. I FOUND MYSELF TIRED OFTEN WHEN I FIRST STARTED 'NIGHTS' HOWEVER I HAVE NEVER FALLEN ASLEEP BEFORE AND HAVE BEEN ALERT DURING MY DAILY NIGHT FLTS. I PLAN TO CONVERSE MORE WITH THE CTLRS OR BRING SOME MUSIC ALONG TO LISTEN TO TO KEEP THIS PROBLEM FROM ARISING AGAIN.

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.