Narrative:

Crew reported at XA16. On arrival to ewr at approximately XB00 and better than 8 hours 30 mins flight time, failed to comply with crossing altitude of 8000 ft at robbinsville VOR. At approximately 3 mi from robbinsville, I informed ATC we were unable to comply with crossing altitude. We crossed robbinsville VOR at 10000 ft. The largest contributing factor was crew fatigue due to long international duty day, block hours, and back side of the clock operation. This trip pairing was a 2 leg night/day trip and could have been easily scheduled for 1 leg night and 1 day with an additional crew. Crew fatigue continues to be a significant safety hazard, due to the lack of far rest requirements that consider circadian cycle.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC8 FLC WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE XING RESTR AT RBV BECAUSE OF CREW FATIGUE.

Narrative: CREW RPTED AT XA16. ON ARR TO EWR AT APPROX XB00 AND BETTER THAN 8 HRS 30 MINS FLT TIME, FAILED TO COMPLY WITH XING ALT OF 8000 FT AT ROBBINSVILLE VOR. AT APPROX 3 MI FROM ROBBINSVILLE, I INFORMED ATC WE WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH XING ALT. WE CROSSED ROBBINSVILLE VOR AT 10000 FT. THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS CREW FATIGUE DUE TO LONG INTL DUTY DAY, BLOCK HRS, AND BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK OP. THIS TRIP PAIRING WAS A 2 LEG NIGHT/DAY TRIP AND COULD HAVE BEEN EASILY SCHEDULED FOR 1 LEG NIGHT AND 1 DAY WITH AN ADDITIONAL CREW. CREW FATIGUE CONTINUES TO BE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD, DUE TO THE LACK OF FAR REST REQUIREMENTS THAT CONSIDER CIRCADIAN CYCLE.

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.