Narrative:

To say that international flying has occasionally been difficult for my body clock is an understatement. But by and large; with thought and preparation; I have been able to minimize the effect of the associated fatigue. I have observed other crew members in such a state of fatigue that they didn't appear to make consistent decisions. But in all of my flying career; with all of the nights I've flown while being 'tired;' I have never had an occasion where I would acknowledge that my decision-making abilities were compromised. Until this week...unable to sleep prior to my show time; by the time of the second takeoff; I was well beyond any definition of tired. Perhaps the reason I didn't cancel the flight due to fatigue was because of the impaired judgement of the fatigue itself. Regardless; on the second landing; I found myself 5 mi out; and high and fast. The WX wasn't an issue; the runway was long; and the light aircraft had a lot of performance. 35 yrs of flying experience (16 in type) made me feel like this wasn't an issue. With aggressive use of flaps and gear and speed brake; the airplane was stabilized just below 500 ft; and the landing was uneventful. It wasn't until after the waking from the next sleep period that I was horrified. When a go around would have easily been the safest and most logical choice; I never felt the need. Is fatigue that insidious? It can override yrs of behavior? Unfortunately; the other pilot was in the same mental state as I. In this case; we were lucky. No mechanicals; no WX; etc. It was an eye-opening experience; and one I don't want to see again. I have new respect for the word 'fatigue.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PLT DESCRIBES A STATE OF FATIGUE SO DEEP AND INSIDIOUS THAT HE DID NOT REALIZE UNTIL AFTER REST HOW DANGEROUS A SITUATION THE PREVIOUS DAY WAS.

Narrative: TO SAY THAT INTL FLYING HAS OCCASIONALLY BEEN DIFFICULT FOR MY BODY CLOCK IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. BUT BY AND LARGE; WITH THOUGHT AND PREPARATION; I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECT OF THE ASSOCIATED FATIGUE. I HAVE OBSERVED OTHER CREW MEMBERS IN SUCH A STATE OF FATIGUE THAT THEY DIDN'T APPEAR TO MAKE CONSISTENT DECISIONS. BUT IN ALL OF MY FLYING CAREER; WITH ALL OF THE NIGHTS I'VE FLOWN WHILE BEING 'TIRED;' I HAVE NEVER HAD AN OCCASION WHERE I WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY DECISION-MAKING ABILITIES WERE COMPROMISED. UNTIL THIS WEEK...UNABLE TO SLEEP PRIOR TO MY SHOW TIME; BY THE TIME OF THE SECOND TKOF; I WAS WELL BEYOND ANY DEFINITION OF TIRED. PERHAPS THE REASON I DIDN'T CANCEL THE FLT DUE TO FATIGUE WAS BECAUSE OF THE IMPAIRED JUDGEMENT OF THE FATIGUE ITSELF. REGARDLESS; ON THE SECOND LNDG; I FOUND MYSELF 5 MI OUT; AND HIGH AND FAST. THE WX WASN'T AN ISSUE; THE RWY WAS LONG; AND THE LIGHT ACFT HAD A LOT OF PERFORMANCE. 35 YRS OF FLYING EXPERIENCE (16 IN TYPE) MADE ME FEEL LIKE THIS WASN'T AN ISSUE. WITH AGGRESSIVE USE OF FLAPS AND GEAR AND SPD BRAKE; THE AIRPLANE WAS STABILIZED JUST BELOW 500 FT; AND THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTER THE WAKING FROM THE NEXT SLEEP PERIOD THAT I WAS HORRIFIED. WHEN A GAR WOULD HAVE EASILY BEEN THE SAFEST AND MOST LOGICAL CHOICE; I NEVER FELT THE NEED. IS FATIGUE THAT INSIDIOUS? IT CAN OVERRIDE YRS OF BEHAVIOR? UNFORTUNATELY; THE OTHER PLT WAS IN THE SAME MENTAL STATE AS I. IN THIS CASE; WE WERE LUCKY. NO MECHANICALS; NO WX; ETC. IT WAS AN EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE; AND ONE I DON'T WANT TO SEE AGAIN. I HAVE NEW RESPECT FOR THE WORD 'FATIGUE.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.