Rest period violation.

Attributes
ACN	310855
Time
Date	199507
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gsp
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 15000
ASRS Report	310855
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After extended duty day and minimum duty rest, our company told us they were assigning us additional legs to fly during our scheduled long remain overnight. We both felt tired and questioned if it was legal. Upon searching far part 121 for domestic rest requirements (121.147), we were extremely confused by the complexity of the wording. We discovered that, according to our company's definition of duty time (1 hour before flight to 15 mins after block in), we had violated the minimum allowable rest the previous night by 22 mins. Since we had actually arrived at the airport for duty 30 mins before the scheduled departure, we felt we were legally within the FARS (though outside our company's interpretation). Lessons learned: 1) the duty rules (far 121.147) are extremely confusing, difficult to apply, and have little to do with real world flying, 2) our company should track these rest periods and 'back up' tired pilots in catching such errors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REST PERIOD VIOLATION.

Narrative: AFTER EXTENDED DUTY DAY AND MINIMUM DUTY REST, OUR COMPANY TOLD US THEY WERE ASSIGNING US ADDITIONAL LEGS TO FLY DURING OUR SCHEDULED LONG REMAIN OVERNIGHT. WE BOTH FELT TIRED AND QUESTIONED IF IT WAS LEGAL. UPON SEARCHING FAR PART 121 FOR DOMESTIC REST REQUIREMENTS (121.147), WE WERE EXTREMELY CONFUSED BY THE COMPLEXITY OF THE WORDING. WE DISCOVERED THAT, ACCORDING TO OUR COMPANY'S DEFINITION OF DUTY TIME (1 HR BEFORE FLT TO 15 MINS AFTER BLOCK IN), WE HAD VIOLATED THE MINIMUM ALLOWABLE REST THE PREVIOUS NIGHT BY 22 MINS. SINCE WE HAD ACTUALLY ARRIVED AT THE ARPT FOR DUTY 30 MINS BEFORE THE SCHEDULED DEP, WE FELT WE WERE LEGALLY WITHIN THE FARS (THOUGH OUTSIDE OUR COMPANY'S INTERP). LESSONS LEARNED: 1) THE DUTY RULES (FAR 121.147) ARE EXTREMELY CONFUSING, DIFFICULT TO APPLY, AND HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH REAL WORLD FLYING, 2) OUR COMPANY SHOULD TRACK THESE REST PERIODS AND 'BACK UP' TIRED PLTS IN CATCHING SUCH ERRORS.

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.