Narrative:

Due to the requirement of the crew to be on the aircraft and monitoring loading, causes delays because if a crew is not on board when cargo is ready to load, the agents just stand around and wait. If the loads are ready for other aircraft, those planes just get further delayed waiting. Not only am I feeling the strain of the unnecessary extra duties of watching the loading, and checking cans which adds 1 1/2 - 2 hours nightly, now it seems that our final arrival times will be anywhere from 1-2 hours later than scheduled. As I have worked many yrs in cargo, working the back-side of the clock, I have been able to maintain a level of vigilance, safety, and perspective in operating in this environment, until recently. On my last flight we were given a visual approach and I had configured early, as this approach brings the plane high on final in order to remain within the class B airspace. I maintained 3000 ft believing I reached the 228 degree radial. Momentarily, I had left the class B airspace when I started my descent because I had not quite reached the radial. I had already dialed in the runway 4R ILS. I immediately corrected my flight path to correct my error. There were no conflicts or problems due to this but I will make sure from now on to keep the radial dialed in to verify proper position. Another factor that adds to the confusion in this area is that every time prior to this the controllers will clear the aircraft for visuals from the west and they give many different altitudes and DME restrs. For example, the controllers give a clearance of 'maintain 2500 ft, until 7 DME, or maintain 3000 ft until 7 DME.' this is usually the status quo, and has been the standard for some time. This report will help make other pilots aware not to become complacent when arriving from the west, when the controller just says cleared for the approach. I believe my situational awareness was lowered in this case caused from a number of factors. The added workload during the night, the constant delays, the switching of flts, and the constant strain of doing a job that I am not trained for adds to overall performance decline. This is not always readily idented as it is happening, but usually only when someone points out your mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FATIGUED PIC ON A B737 CARGO NIGHT FLT DSNDS PREMATURELY WHILE EXECUTING AN ILS RWY 4R AT HNL.

Narrative: DUE TO THE REQUIREMENT OF THE CREW TO BE ON THE ACFT AND MONITORING LOADING, CAUSES DELAYS BECAUSE IF A CREW IS NOT ON BOARD WHEN CARGO IS READY TO LOAD, THE AGENTS JUST STAND AROUND AND WAIT. IF THE LOADS ARE READY FOR OTHER ACFT, THOSE PLANES JUST GET FURTHER DELAYED WAITING. NOT ONLY AM I FEELING THE STRAIN OF THE UNNECESSARY EXTRA DUTIES OF WATCHING THE LOADING, AND CHKING CANS WHICH ADDS 1 1/2 - 2 HRS NIGHTLY, NOW IT SEEMS THAT OUR FINAL ARR TIMES WILL BE ANYWHERE FROM 1-2 HRS LATER THAN SCHEDULED. AS I HAVE WORKED MANY YRS IN CARGO, WORKING THE BACK-SIDE OF THE CLOCK, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF VIGILANCE, SAFETY, AND PERSPECTIVE IN OPERATING IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, UNTIL RECENTLY. ON MY LAST FLT WE WERE GIVEN A VISUAL APCH AND I HAD CONFIGURED EARLY, AS THIS APCH BRINGS THE PLANE HIGH ON FINAL IN ORDER TO REMAIN WITHIN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I MAINTAINED 3000 FT BELIEVING I REACHED THE 228 DEG RADIAL. MOMENTARILY, I HAD LEFT THE CLASS B AIRSPACE WHEN I STARTED MY DSCNT BECAUSE I HAD NOT QUITE REACHED THE RADIAL. I HAD ALREADY DIALED IN THE RWY 4R ILS. I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED MY FLT PATH TO CORRECT MY ERROR. THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS OR PROBS DUE TO THIS BUT I WILL MAKE SURE FROM NOW ON TO KEEP THE RADIAL DIALED IN TO VERIFY PROPER POS. ANOTHER FACTOR THAT ADDS TO THE CONFUSION IN THIS AREA IS THAT EVERY TIME PRIOR TO THIS THE CTLRS WILL CLR THE ACFT FOR VISUALS FROM THE W AND THEY GIVE MANY DIFFERENT ALTS AND DME RESTRS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE CTLRS GIVE A CLRNC OF 'MAINTAIN 2500 FT, UNTIL 7 DME, OR MAINTAIN 3000 FT UNTIL 7 DME.' THIS IS USUALLY THE STATUS QUO, AND HAS BEEN THE STANDARD FOR SOME TIME. THIS RPT WILL HELP MAKE OTHER PLTS AWARE NOT TO BECOME COMPLACENT WHEN ARRIVING FROM THE W, WHEN THE CTLR JUST SAYS CLRED FOR THE APCH. I BELIEVE MY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WAS LOWERED IN THIS CASE CAUSED FROM A NUMBER OF FACTORS. THE ADDED WORKLOAD DURING THE NIGHT, THE CONSTANT DELAYS, THE SWITCHING OF FLTS, AND THE CONSTANT STRAIN OF DOING A JOB THAT I AM NOT TRAINED FOR ADDS TO OVERALL PERFORMANCE DECLINE. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS READILY IDENTED AS IT IS HAPPENING, BUT USUALLY ONLY WHEN SOMEONE POINTS OUT YOUR MISTAKE.

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.