B777-200 crew showed fatigue after being scheduled to fly on the back side of the clock.

Attributes
ACN	613697
Time
Date	200403
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzzz.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 3100
ASRS Report	613697
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company FAA
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was flying relief pilot. Operating air carrier X ZZZZ-sfo on mar/tue/04, the flight crew missed several radio calls, had difficulty recalling clrncs issued just mins before, and failed to make a cabin security announcement in a timely manner. Other errors or omissions were caught and resolved by the crew in the practice of good CRM: questioning, reviewing, repeating steps and procedures. At no time did the crew allow themselves to be rushed. Each of the crew members felt tired. I am writing this report to bring attention to the serious dangers of operating on the back side of the clock without enough time for proper rest and recovery. The B777 sfo-ZZZZ-sfo is a late departure from sfo and an early departure from ZZZZ for the return leg. Each duty period operates during the critical XA00-XF00 body clock period. This is the only international trip which operates throughout this period on both legs. In this situation, a pilot must both recover from and rest for a full period of back side of the clock flying. This represents an additional sleep deficit not experienced on any other international trip. The present layover does not allow adequate time to both rest and recover. The opportunity for an additional 5-8 hours of rest would correct this serious problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777-200 CREW SHOWED FATIGUE AFTER BEING SCHEDULED TO FLY ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING RELIEF PLT. OPERATING ACR X ZZZZ-SFO ON MAR/TUE/04, THE FLT CREW MISSED SEVERAL RADIO CALLS, HAD DIFFICULTY RECALLING CLRNCS ISSUED JUST MINS BEFORE, AND FAILED TO MAKE A CABIN SECURITY ANNOUNCEMENT IN A TIMELY MANNER. OTHER ERRORS OR OMISSIONS WERE CAUGHT AND RESOLVED BY THE CREW IN THE PRACTICE OF GOOD CRM: QUESTIONING, REVIEWING, REPEATING STEPS AND PROCS. AT NO TIME DID THE CREW ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE RUSHED. EACH OF THE CREW MEMBERS FELT TIRED. I AM WRITING THIS RPT TO BRING ATTN TO THE SERIOUS DANGERS OF OPERATING ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK WITHOUT ENOUGH TIME FOR PROPER REST AND RECOVERY. THE B777 SFO-ZZZZ-SFO IS A LATE DEP FROM SFO AND AN EARLY DEP FROM ZZZZ FOR THE RETURN LEG. EACH DUTY PERIOD OPERATES DURING THE CRITICAL XA00-XF00 BODY CLOCK PERIOD. THIS IS THE ONLY INTL TRIP WHICH OPERATES THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD ON BOTH LEGS. IN THIS SIT, A PLT MUST BOTH RECOVER FROM AND REST FOR A FULL PERIOD OF BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK FLYING. THIS REPRESENTS AN ADDITIONAL SLEEP DEFICIT NOT EXPERIENCED ON ANY OTHER INTL TRIP. THE PRESENT LAYOVER DOES NOT ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME TO BOTH REST AND RECOVER. THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ADDITIONAL 5-8 HRS OF REST WOULD CORRECT THIS SERIOUS PROB.

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.