An air carrier small transport landed en route to take on more fuel.

Attributes
ACN	225007
Time
Date	199201
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5025 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	225007
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Sometimes, the very procedures which are designed to help us avoid errors in our tasks can actually encourage them in a repetitive environment. An otherwise sharp and professional crew can overlook the obvious, even with the use of a checklist, when things get to be too routine. Our company has based us in a single markets since may. I have been based in redding since june and have flown between rdd and sfo (this is all we do) over 360 times in a row. We used to have some variety, which caused us to think more about each flight rather than simply go through unthinking motions. Today our routine caused me to fail to consider the effects of headwinds and possible holding for our return flight to redding. As a result, we took off without enough fuel to hold, combat headwinds and proceed to an alternate, if needed. So we stopped in sacramento to add more fuel, then we proceeded on to rdd. Had we not done so, we would have been in a tight spot. I wish I had not been in so much of a summertime rut when I planned the fuel needed for the flight. Airlines which have crews that fly only one city pair for up to 8 legs a day, month after month, ought to include something in their training to give pilots the tools necessary to avoid the mistakes of repetition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR SMT LANDED ENRTE TO TAKE ON MORE FUEL.

Narrative: SOMETIMES, THE VERY PROCS WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO HELP US AVOID ERRORS IN OUR TASKS CAN ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE THEM IN A REPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT. AN OTHERWISE SHARP AND PROFESSIONAL CREW CAN OVERLOOK THE OBVIOUS, EVEN WITH THE USE OF A CHKLIST, WHEN THINGS GET TO BE TOO ROUTINE. OUR COMPANY HAS BASED US IN A SINGLE MARKETS SINCE MAY. I HAVE BEEN BASED IN REDDING SINCE JUNE AND HAVE FLOWN BTWN RDD AND SFO (THIS IS ALL WE DO) OVER 360 TIMES IN A ROW. WE USED TO HAVE SOME VARIETY, WHICH CAUSED US TO THINK MORE ABOUT EACH FLT RATHER THAN SIMPLY GO THROUGH UNTHINKING MOTIONS. TODAY OUR ROUTINE CAUSED ME TO FAIL TO CONSIDER THE EFFECTS OF HEADWINDS AND POSSIBLE HOLDING FOR OUR RETURN FLT TO REDDING. AS A RESULT, WE TOOK OFF WITHOUT ENOUGH FUEL TO HOLD, COMBAT HEADWINDS AND PROCEED TO AN ALTERNATE, IF NEEDED. SO WE STOPPED IN SACRAMENTO TO ADD MORE FUEL, THEN WE PROCEEDED ON TO RDD. HAD WE NOT DONE SO, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A TIGHT SPOT. I WISH I HAD NOT BEEN IN SO MUCH OF A SUMMERTIME RUT WHEN I PLANNED THE FUEL NEEDED FOR THE FLT. AIRLINES WHICH HAVE CREWS THAT FLY ONLY ONE CITY PAIR FOR UP TO 8 LEGS A DAY, MONTH AFTER MONTH, OUGHT TO INCLUDE SOMETHING IN THEIR TRAINING TO GIVE PLTS THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO AVOID THE MISTAKES OF REPETITION.

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.