<< >> NASA ASRS Report 582934, May 2003

An error made in calculating weight and balance is attributed to fatigue brought on by legal but tiring scheduling that does not account for a normal sleep schedule.

Attributes
ACN	582934
Time
Date	200305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	582934
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I calculated our weight and balance numbers using a greater quantity of fuel than actual. Once we realized the error, I corrected the calculations using the onboard paperwork and contacted the agent at the station where our flight originated and had them correct the paperwork for me. This error was due to the difference between the amount of fuel we had originally discussed as being desirable and what we left with. The error was primarily due to fatigue. Flts made during certain times of the day force a pilot to turn his or her regular sleep schedule upside down. This results in obvious oversights such as this one. A good solution would be better duty time regulations. For example, one of our trips has a period of 36 hours with only 9 hours restr. This is perfectly legal, but pushes the crew too hard.

Related reports:

• Flight crew of a widebody transport air carrier aircraft dep...
• B757 flight crew and dispatcher reported errors in the fligh...
• A B737 on the sjc SILCN1 RNAV appeared high on profile to nc...
• PA28 instructor guides student through the task intensive fa...
• B737 departure from abq crossed hold line while calculating ...
• 767 captain reported a flight control problem while on appro...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ERROR MADE IN CALCULATING WT AND BAL IS ATTRIBUTED TO FATIGUE BROUGHT ON BY LEGAL BUT TIRING SCHEDULING THAT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR A NORMAL SLEEP SCHEDULE.

Narrative: I CALCULATED OUR WT AND BAL NUMBERS USING A GREATER QUANTITY OF FUEL THAN ACTUAL. ONCE WE REALIZED THE ERROR, I CORRECTED THE CALCULATIONS USING THE ONBOARD PAPERWORK AND CONTACTED THE AGENT AT THE STATION WHERE OUR FLT ORIGINATED AND HAD THEM CORRECT THE PAPERWORK FOR ME. THIS ERROR WAS DUE TO THE DIFFERENCE BTWN THE AMOUNT OF FUEL WE HAD ORIGINALLY DISCUSSED AS BEING DESIRABLE AND WHAT WE LEFT WITH. THE ERROR WAS PRIMARILY DUE TO FATIGUE. FLTS MADE DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY FORCE A PLT TO TURN HIS OR HER REGULAR SLEEP SCHEDULE UPSIDE DOWN. THIS RESULTS IN OBVIOUS OVERSIGHTS SUCH AS THIS ONE. A GOOD SOLUTION WOULD BE BETTER DUTY TIME REGS. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF OUR TRIPS HAS A PERIOD OF 36 HRS WITH ONLY 9 HRS RESTR. THIS IS PERFECTLY LEGAL, BUT PUSHES THE CREW TOO HARD.

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.