ALTDEV.

Narrative

WE WERE CLBING OUT OF MIAMI ON THE 8TH LEG OF THE NIGHT (ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOW DAYTIME) AND HAVING FLOWN 7 AND A HALF HRS. OUR INITIAL CLRNC WAS RWY HDG L TO 5000 FT; THEN THE CTLR GAVE US A CLRNC TO TURN TO 360 DEGS AND 7000 FT. WITH THE WARM SUNSHINE AND FATIGUE SETTING IN; MY MIND MUST HAVE STARTED TO WANDER. THE NEXT THING I KNEW; THE (PF) CAPT WAS DSNDING THROUGH 9000 FT ON THE WAY BACK TO 7000 FT. OUR ALT ALERTER HAD BEEN INTERMITTENT ALL NIGHT AND HAD OBVIOUSLY NOT WORKED IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE. THE PF SWORE HE HAD HEARD A CLRNC TO CLB TO 16000 FT; BUT DSNDED BACK DOWN TO 7000 FT WHEN HE GLANCED AT THE ALT ALERTER AND SAW 7000 FT SET IN IT. I COULD HONESTLY NOT REMEMBER RECEIVING A CLRNC TO 16000 FT AND HAD NOT CHANGED THE ALT ALERTER; BUT I STILL DID NOT SEE HIM FLY THROUGH OUR 'ASSIGNED' ALT (IF THAT WAS OUR ASSIGNED ALT). WHEN I ASKED THE CTLR FOR VERIFICATION OF OUR ASSIGNED ALT -- HE SEEMED AS CONFUSED AS US. HE THOUGHT HE HAD GIVEN US 16000 FT BUT HONESTLY COULD NOT REMEMBER. IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT NO CONFLICT HAD TAKEN PLACE. THE CAPT (WHO DOES NOT FLY THIS RTE AS OFTEN AS I DO) FELT THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE HE HAD HEARD A CLRNC FOR SOMEONE ELSE. HE ALSO SAID THAT IF 7000 FT WAS OUR ASSIGNED ALT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE CLBED; AND IF 16000 FT WAS OUR ASSIGNED ALT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE DSNDED. I STILL COULD NOT REMEMBER RECEIVING OR READING BACK A CLRNC TO 16000 FT AND WAS KICKING MYSELF FOR NOT CATCHING THE PLT FLYING THROUGH 7000 FT. NEEDLESS TO SAY I FELT BAD ALL THE WAY HOME. FACTORS THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THIS SIT; I FEEL; ARE AN INTERMITTENT ALT ALERTER. WE BECOME CONDITIONED TO HEARING IT RING AND WARNING US (EVEN SAVING US SOMETIMES). THE ALT ALERTER IS DEFERRABLE IN SOME CASES. FATIGUE. WE FLY A LONG NIGHT (8 LEGS; 8 PLUS HRS OF FLYING) IF WE FLY THIS 4 NIGHTS A WK WE WILL REACH THE MAXIMUM FOR THE YR ABOUT 1 1/2 MONTHS BEFORE THE YR ENDS. FOR OUR TYPE OF FLYING (PART 135; ON DEMAND; EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A 'SCHEDULE'); THAT IS 1400 HRS. I HAVE QUITE SOME STAMINA. I HAVE NEVER COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SCHEDULE AND NEVER FELT IT COULD AFFECT MY WORK AS A WHOLE; BUT I CAN SEE NOW HOW IT CAN CATCH UP WITH YOU AND AFFECT YOUR PERFORMANCE AND I UNDERSTAND WHY MOST OTHER PLTS IN AIRLINE AND SCHEDULED OPS ARE RESTR TO 1000 HRS PER YR. COMPLACENCY; EVEN A VERY EXPERIENCED CREW FLYING IN GOOD CONDITIONS ONLY NEEDS FOR ONE OF THEM TO LET THEIR GUARD DOWN TEMPORARILY FOR AN INCIDENT OR POTENTIAL HAZARD TO OCCUR. I HOPE I HAVE LEARNED MY LESSON AND AM VERY THANKFUL THAT NOTHING WORSE THAN EMBARRASSMENT WAS THE RESULT. NOTE TO RESEARCHER: I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF THIS RPT ENDS UP BEING PUBLISHED; SUFFICIENT DETAILS ARE CHANGED (ALTS; PLACES; NUMBER OF LEGS; ETC) TO ASSURE THAT NO ONE CAN CORRELATE IT WITH ME AS NO ONE ELSE KNOWS ABOUT THIS.