Narrative:

At approximately XA30 on feb/sat/00, I departed athens, GA, to return home to savannah. There was no WX or turbulence, or any traffic observed en route. I flew a direct route at 5500 ft MSL with the autoplt engaged. About 30 NM out, with the city in sight, I fell asleep. I awoke approximately 20 mins later. I was 30 NM out to sea, had penetrated the ADIZ, and had crossed into a restr area. Additionally, I had begun the flight with just under an hour's reserve of fuel, so I was dangerously low on fuel. I had previously been unable to fall asleep in an aircraft, even on overnight international flts as a passenger. Recently, I've been training for a marathon. At night I go to sleep instantly, and that's what happened in the airplane. Additionally, I had gained 500 ft while asleep. I immediately turned the aircraft towards sav, and made straight-in for runway 27. I prayed, made announcements on unicom, and landed without further incident (although with fuel below minimums). This ordeal was caused by a physiological change in the pilot as a result of extreme and frequent physical exertion. Lack of interaction and monotony contributed to my falling asleep. I had assumed that because I had been unable to sleep on an aircraft when it was desirable, I'd be unable to while flying. I was wrong.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A BEECH DEBONAIR, BE33, FELL ASLEEP WITH THE AUTOPLT ON DURING THE LAST PORTION OF A MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT VFR XCOUNTRY FLT, AND OVERFLEW HIS DEST BEFORE AWAKENING AND SUCCESSFULLY RETURNING TO HIS DEST. HOWEVER, WHILE OVERFLYING HIS DEST, HE FLEW FOR 20 MINS ASLEEP RESULTING IN PENETRATING A WARNING AREA AND UNITED STATES ADIZ AIRSPACE.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA30 ON FEB/SAT/00, I DEPARTED ATHENS, GA, TO RETURN HOME TO SAVANNAH. THERE WAS NO WX OR TURB, OR ANY TFC OBSERVED ENRTE. I FLEW A DIRECT RTE AT 5500 FT MSL WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED. ABOUT 30 NM OUT, WITH THE CITY IN SIGHT, I FELL ASLEEP. I AWOKE APPROX 20 MINS LATER. I WAS 30 NM OUT TO SEA, HAD PENETRATED THE ADIZ, AND HAD CROSSED INTO A RESTR AREA. ADDITIONALLY, I HAD BEGUN THE FLT WITH JUST UNDER AN HR'S RESERVE OF FUEL, SO I WAS DANGEROUSLY LOW ON FUEL. I HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN UNABLE TO FALL ASLEEP IN AN ACFT, EVEN ON OVERNIGHT INTL FLTS AS A PAX. RECENTLY, I'VE BEEN TRAINING FOR A MARATHON. AT NIGHT I GO TO SLEEP INSTANTLY, AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN THE AIRPLANE. ADDITIONALLY, I HAD GAINED 500 FT WHILE ASLEEP. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE ACFT TOWARDS SAV, AND MADE STRAIGHT-IN FOR RWY 27. I PRAYED, MADE ANNOUNCEMENTS ON UNICOM, AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT (ALTHOUGH WITH FUEL BELOW MINIMUMS). THIS ORDEAL WAS CAUSED BY A PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGE IN THE PLT AS A RESULT OF EXTREME AND FREQUENT PHYSICAL EXERTION. LACK OF INTERACTION AND MONOTONY CONTRIBUTED TO MY FALLING ASLEEP. I HAD ASSUMED THAT BECAUSE I HAD BEEN UNABLE TO SLEEP ON AN ACFT WHEN IT WAS DESIRABLE, I'D BE UNABLE TO WHILE FLYING. I WAS WRONG.

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.