B737-300 captain turned into the wrong gate. The captain was suffering from cumulative fatigue.

Attributes
ACN	613684
Time
Date	200404
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 3400
ASRS Report	613684
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Third leg of the day, last leg of 2-DAY trip. Landed runway 35R, taxied taxiway P7, taxiway ed, given clearance to enter amp. Attempted to turn into alley way fixated on arriving at gate (earlier gate smf-den flight that morning). On some level, I knew that we were assigned XXX (set 000 in course select window for vot check). Nonetheless I attempted to turn into wrong side of ramp. My first officer had to verbally remind me of the gate, and physically had to touch my left arm to get me to respond to his instructions. I believe the root cause of this error has been my increasing level of fatigue, combined with that day's 2.5 hour situation in den after arriving from smf. I'm an lca, and extremely task driven to get the people to destination efficiently and safely, but I believe my pwrs of concentration have been diminishing. At the completion of this trip, I believe I was too fatigued to fly my next assignment with 13 hours off duty, and called in sick. I am diligent in my workout and nutrition regimes, but believe the cumulative effect of the flying I've been doing, combined with the bad WX in den that morning and the day before left me barely able to function on the flight deck.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CAPT TURNED INTO THE WRONG GATE. THE CAPT WAS SUFFERING FROM CUMULATIVE FATIGUE.

Narrative: THIRD LEG OF THE DAY, LAST LEG OF 2-DAY TRIP. LANDED RWY 35R, TAXIED TXWY P7, TXWY ED, GIVEN CLRNC TO ENTER AMP. ATTEMPTED TO TURN INTO ALLEY WAY FIXATED ON ARRIVING AT GATE (EARLIER GATE SMF-DEN FLT THAT MORNING). ON SOME LEVEL, I KNEW THAT WE WERE ASSIGNED XXX (SET 000 IN COURSE SELECT WINDOW FOR VOT CHK). NONETHELESS I ATTEMPTED TO TURN INTO WRONG SIDE OF RAMP. MY FO HAD TO VERBALLY REMIND ME OF THE GATE, AND PHYSICALLY HAD TO TOUCH MY L ARM TO GET ME TO RESPOND TO HIS INSTRUCTIONS. I BELIEVE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS ERROR HAS BEEN MY INCREASING LEVEL OF FATIGUE, COMBINED WITH THAT DAY'S 2.5 HR SIT IN DEN AFTER ARRIVING FROM SMF. I'M AN LCA, AND EXTREMELY TASK DRIVEN TO GET THE PEOPLE TO DEST EFFICIENTLY AND SAFELY, BUT I BELIEVE MY PWRS OF CONCENTRATION HAVE BEEN DIMINISHING. AT THE COMPLETION OF THIS TRIP, I BELIEVE I WAS TOO FATIGUED TO FLY MY NEXT ASSIGNMENT WITH 13 HRS OFF DUTY, AND CALLED IN SICK. I AM DILIGENT IN MY WORKOUT AND NUTRITION REGIMES, BUT BELIEVE THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF THE FLYING I'VE BEEN DOING, COMBINED WITH THE BAD WX IN DEN THAT MORNING AND THE DAY BEFORE LEFT ME BARELY ABLE TO FUNCTION ON THE FLT DECK.

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.