MU2 cargo pilot fell asleep in-flight during nighttime operation.

Attributes
ACN	519440
Time
Date	200107
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : hli.vortac
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	MU-2 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8100 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	519440
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was on an IFR flight plan from atl to bhm, and about halfway to bhm I fell asleep. The autoplt was on, and the heading indicator was set on a due west heading, and the altitude was set at 8000 ft. I didn't wake up for 30-45 mins. When I woke up I was about 90 NM south of hli VOR. I couldn't get atl, or bhm ATC on the radio, so I tried mem, and it took 2 or 3 frequencys to finally make contact. I turned due north to point the airplane in the right direction, and climbed to 10000 ft for right altitude for direction of flight, and for better radio/navigation reception, and better fuel consumption. I didn't think I had enough fuel for bhm, so I chose to land at mem. I landed at mem with about 1 hour of fuel. Later I was supposed to call bhm tower about the incident, and they said it was a pilot deviation. I asked what that was, and he told me that I went beyond the IFR clearance limit. Filed/cleared to bhm, but didn't land at bhm, then went past bhm. The airspace was a class east airspace. Problem: lack of sleep. To correct the situation: get 6-8 hours sleep, keep oneself busy in the cockpit by altitude change, drink water, and open vents/air conditioning.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MU2 CARGO PLT FELL ASLEEP INFLT DURING NIGHTTIME OP.

Narrative: WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM ATL TO BHM, AND ABOUT HALFWAY TO BHM I FELL ASLEEP. THE AUTOPLT WAS ON, AND THE HEADING INDICATOR WAS SET ON A DUE W HEADING, AND THE ALTITUDE WAS SET AT 8000 FT. I DIDN'T WAKE UP FOR 30-45 MINS. WHEN I WOKE UP I WAS ABOUT 90 NM S OF HLI VOR. I COULDN'T GET ATL, OR BHM ATC ON THE RADIO, SO I TRIED MEM, AND IT TOOK 2 OR 3 FREQS TO FINALLY MAKE CONTACT. I TURNED DUE N TO POINT THE AIRPLANE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND CLBED TO 10000 FT FOR RIGHT ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT, AND FOR BETTER RADIO/NAV RECEPTION, AND BETTER FUEL CONSUMPTION. I DIDN'T THINK I HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR BHM, SO I CHOSE TO LAND AT MEM. I LANDED AT MEM WITH ABOUT 1 HR OF FUEL. LATER I WAS SUPPOSED TO CALL BHM TWR ABOUT THE INCIDENT, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A PLTDEV. I ASKED WHAT THAT WAS, AND HE TOLD ME THAT I WENT BEYOND THE IFR CLRNC LIMIT. FILED/CLRED TO BHM, BUT DIDN'T LAND AT BHM, THEN WENT PAST BHM. THE AIRSPACE WAS A CLASS E AIRSPACE. PROB: LACK OF SLEEP. TO CORRECT THE SIT: GET 6-8 HRS SLEEP, KEEP ONESELF BUSY IN THE COCKPIT BY ALT CHANGE, DRINK WATER, AND OPEN VENTS/AIR CONDITIONING.

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.