During an extended duty period operation, a B727-200 cargo PIC elects to make a downwind takeoff dur...

Attributes
ACN	617715
Time
Date	200405
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tvsb.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	617715
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Company Airport

Narrative:

The company added extra legs to our day which pushed it over a 16 hour duty day. I did not want to fly past 16 hours, but was told to fly to 18 hours by the chief pilot. Through a series of delays, we arrived at st vincents at sunset. It is a VFR airport with rapidly rising terrain in all quadrants. I felt the crew was too tired and I was forced to fly beyond my normal 16 hour duty day. After discussing the departure, the captain opted to depart st vincents at night into mountains that we have to navigation visually. I said it is illegal to depart this island at night, so he opted to take off the other direction with a tailwind exceeding 10 KTS. All-in-all, I feel that our operation into this island is highly illegal with no procedures spelled out for it on the airport plate or gom. I also felt that, due to the excessive duty time, our decision-making process was impaired. The company forced us to fly beyond our limits, thereby putting the safe operation of the aircraft in jeopardy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING AN EXTENDED DUTY PERIOD OP, A B727-200 CARGO PIC ELECTS TO MAKE A DOWNWIND TKOF DURING A NIGHT OP AT TVZZ. TVZZ DOES NOT ALLOW DEP AT NIGHT.

Narrative: THE COMPANY ADDED EXTRA LEGS TO OUR DAY WHICH PUSHED IT OVER A 16 HR DUTY DAY. I DID NOT WANT TO FLY PAST 16 HRS, BUT WAS TOLD TO FLY TO 18 HRS BY THE CHIEF PLT. THROUGH A SERIES OF DELAYS, WE ARRIVED AT ST VINCENTS AT SUNSET. IT IS A VFR ARPT WITH RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN IN ALL QUADRANTS. I FELT THE CREW WAS TOO TIRED AND I WAS FORCED TO FLY BEYOND MY NORMAL 16 HR DUTY DAY. AFTER DISCUSSING THE DEP, THE CAPT OPTED TO DEPART ST VINCENTS AT NIGHT INTO MOUNTAINS THAT WE HAVE TO NAV VISUALLY. I SAID IT IS ILLEGAL TO DEPART THIS ISLAND AT NIGHT, SO HE OPTED TO TAKE OFF THE OTHER DIRECTION WITH A TAILWIND EXCEEDING 10 KTS. ALL-IN-ALL, I FEEL THAT OUR OP INTO THIS ISLAND IS HIGHLY ILLEGAL WITH NO PROCS SPELLED OUT FOR IT ON THE ARPT PLATE OR GOM. I ALSO FELT THAT, DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE DUTY TIME, OUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WAS IMPAIRED. THE COMPANY FORCED US TO FLY BEYOND OUR LIMITS, THEREBY PUTTING THE SAFE OP OF THE ACFT IN JEOPARDY.

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.

During an extended duty period operation, a B727-200 cargo PIC elects to make a downwind takeoff during a night operation at tvzz. Tvzz does not allow departure at night.