Narrative:

My first officer was flying an 8 DME arc for the VOR approach into eyw. Basically, he was preoccupied with flying the arc and failed to turn on to the final approach course. The problem was also enhanced by my own fixation on the airport (trying to keep it in sight) and not backing up the first officer with the proper calls, i.e., 'course active, etc.' I believe the whole situation would have been avoided if the crew would have had proper rest. In my situation it was the second continuous duty which our company frequently schedules back-to-back. In this case, I had, at best, 4 hours of sleep the night before and then had to come back in at XA35 to do the same trip. This situation is used on an everyday basis at our company and creates a dangerous chronic fatigue cycle. These trips do not allow for sleep at night but you are expected to sleep during the day for your legal 9 hours. Also during this cycle they can (because it's legal?!) require you to fly multiple legs in the morning after getting plus or minus 5 hours of sleep.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV IN NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC PROC INSTRUCTIONS. NIGHT OP.

Narrative: MY FO WAS FLYING AN 8 DME ARC FOR THE VOR APCH INTO EYW. BASICALLY, HE WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH FLYING THE ARC AND FAILED TO TURN ON TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. THE PROB WAS ALSO ENHANCED BY MY OWN FIXATION ON THE ARPT (TRYING TO KEEP IT IN SIGHT) AND NOT BACKING UP THE FO WITH THE PROPER CALLS, I.E., 'COURSE ACTIVE, ETC.' I BELIEVE THE WHOLE SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE CREW WOULD HAVE HAD PROPER REST. IN MY SIT IT WAS THE SECOND CONTINUOUS DUTY WHICH OUR COMPANY FREQUENTLY SCHEDULES BACK-TO-BACK. IN THIS CASE, I HAD, AT BEST, 4 HRS OF SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE AND THEN HAD TO COME BACK IN AT XA35 TO DO THE SAME TRIP. THIS SIT IS USED ON AN EVERYDAY BASIS AT OUR COMPANY AND CREATES A DANGEROUS CHRONIC FATIGUE CYCLE. THESE TRIPS DO NOT ALLOW FOR SLEEP AT NIGHT BUT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO SLEEP DURING THE DAY FOR YOUR LEGAL 9 HRS. ALSO DURING THIS CYCLE THEY CAN (BECAUSE IT'S LEGAL?!) REQUIRE YOU TO FLY MULTIPLE LEGS IN THE MORNING AFTER GETTING PLUS OR MINUS 5 HRS OF SLEEP.

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.