Narrative:

This incident involves our reserve system at company and is intended to show the incredible pressure on both our schedulers and pilots to respond to contingencies. In early january, I had a 4 day reserve period. At the end of the second day when arriving home, I was called by the crew desk at XA00 hours for an XE40 departure. This requires that I leave home at XB40 to give me a few mins pad. I went to bed at XB00 hours, then was called by the crew desk at XA30 changing my departure time to XF05. I could not get back to sleep before I had to get up at XB15. Total sleep = 6 1/2 hours. Flew den-slc-ord all with snow, then deadheaded home from ord. Blocked in at XP45, got to parking lot at XQ15, home by XR15. Called en route by crew desk at XR00 for XA40 departure next day. After 15 1/2 hours traveling and after 6 1/2 hours of sleep, the crew desk was asking me to fly after less than 7 hours sleep once again. I refused the assignment and they gave me a later flight, which was fine with me. All I ask for is a full 8 hours sleep and time to take a shower and maybe eat something. This is all legal according to the pilot contract. I have been flying 35 yrs, spent 21 yrs in the USAF, squadron commander of 2 different flying squadrons, and I would have been fired for allowing my pilots to do what the crew desk asked me to do. I believe we are very close to a serious incident resulting from lack of rest with our current reserve system. At best, the worse case is we kill somebody. The bottom line is we need more time off from block in to block out to say good-bye to our passenger, catch the bus to the parking lot, drive home, eat, shower and sleep a minimum of 8 hours.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLT ASSIGNMENT IS REFUSED BY AN ACR PLT WHO CITED LACK OF REST EVEN THOUGH THE SCHEDULING FIT THE LETTER OF THE REG CONCERNING SCHEDULING AND REST LIMITS.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT INVOLVES OUR RESERVE SYS AT COMPANY AND IS INTENDED TO SHOW THE INCREDIBLE PRESSURE ON BOTH OUR SCHEDULERS AND PLTS TO RESPOND TO CONTINGENCIES. IN EARLY JANUARY, I HAD A 4 DAY RESERVE PERIOD. AT THE END OF THE SECOND DAY WHEN ARRIVING HOME, I WAS CALLED BY THE CREW DESK AT XA00 HRS FOR AN XE40 DEP. THIS REQUIRES THAT I LEAVE HOME AT XB40 TO GIVE ME A FEW MINS PAD. I WENT TO BED AT XB00 HRS, THEN WAS CALLED BY THE CREW DESK AT XA30 CHANGING MY DEP TIME TO XF05. I COULD NOT GET BACK TO SLEEP BEFORE I HAD TO GET UP AT XB15. TOTAL SLEEP = 6 1/2 HRS. FLEW DEN-SLC-ORD ALL WITH SNOW, THEN DEADHEADED HOME FROM ORD. BLOCKED IN AT XP45, GOT TO PARKING LOT AT XQ15, HOME BY XR15. CALLED ENRTE BY CREW DESK AT XR00 FOR XA40 DEP NEXT DAY. AFTER 15 1/2 HRS TRAVELING AND AFTER 6 1/2 HRS OF SLEEP, THE CREW DESK WAS ASKING ME TO FLY AFTER LESS THAN 7 HRS SLEEP ONCE AGAIN. I REFUSED THE ASSIGNMENT AND THEY GAVE ME A LATER FLT, WHICH WAS FINE WITH ME. ALL I ASK FOR IS A FULL 8 HRS SLEEP AND TIME TO TAKE A SHOWER AND MAYBE EAT SOMETHING. THIS IS ALL LEGAL ACCORDING TO THE PLT CONTRACT. I HAVE BEEN FLYING 35 YRS, SPENT 21 YRS IN THE USAF, SQUADRON COMMANDER OF 2 DIFFERENT FLYING SQUADRONS, AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED FOR ALLOWING MY PLTS TO DO WHAT THE CREW DESK ASKED ME TO DO. I BELIEVE WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO A SERIOUS INCIDENT RESULTING FROM LACK OF REST WITH OUR CURRENT RESERVE SYS. AT BEST, THE WORSE CASE IS WE KILL SOMEBODY. THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE NEED MORE TIME OFF FROM BLOCK IN TO BLOCK OUT TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO OUR PAX, CATCH THE BUS TO THE PARKING LOT, DRIVE HOME, EAT, SHOWER AND SLEEP A MINIMUM OF 8 HRS.

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.