A PA31 PLT GOES TO SLEEP DURING DSCNT TO 11000 FT. HE IS AWAKENED BY ARTCC DSNDING THROUGH 10500 FT.
Synopsis
A PA31 PLT GOES TO SLEEP DURING DSCNT TO 11000 FT. HE IS AWAKENED BY ARTCC DSNDING THROUGH 10500 FT.
Narrative
I WAS ON THE RETURN LEG (APPROX 1.6 HRS) OF A NON PAX FLT THAT WAS DISPATCHED TO PICK UP A PART FOR THE COMPANY THAT LEASES THE ACFT. I WAS FLYING SINGLE PLT AND WS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN THE ACFT. I WAS DSNDING ON A PREVIOUS CLRNC FROM FL200 TO 16000 FT AND I HAD ELECTED TO HAND FLY THE ACFT SINCE IT WAS SUCH A SMOOTH AND CLR DAY. I HAD JUST BEEN GIVEN FURTHER DSCNT CLRNC TO 11000 FT. I PROGRAMMED 11000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER AND BEGAN MY DSCNT FROM 16000 FT. I WAS MAKING A VERY SHALLOW DSCNT IN AN EFFORT TO REALIZE AS MUCH GND SPD AS POSSIBLE FROM THE DSCNT. I WAS FLYING WBOUND INTO THE LATE AFTERNOON SUN. THE BRIGHT SUN SHINING IN THE WINDSHIELD MADE THE COCKPIT VERY WARM AND MAKING ME VERY RELAXED. THE NEXT THING I REMEMBER WAS BEING AWAKENED BY CTR CALLING ME ON THE HEADSETS. I HAD FALLEN ASLEEP; WHEN I WOKE UP AND TOOK INVENTORY OF MY SIT; I WAS DSNDING THROUGH 10500 FT. THAT IS WHAT CTR WAS CALLING ME ABOUT. CTR THEN GAVE ME A CLRNC TO 10000 FT. THE ONLY GOOD THING ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE IS THAT ALL DAY; THE ALT ENCODER HAD BEEN GIVING ATC A READING THAT WAS 200 FT HIGHER THAN THE ALTIMETERS; WHICH I AM SURE MADE MY ALT LOOK BETTER TO THEM THAN IT ACTUALLY WAS. IN THE FUTURE; I PLAN TO USE THE AUTOPLT WHEN FLYING ALONE; STAY MORE ACTIVE IN THE COCKPIT AND MAYBE HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE IN HAND WHEN FLYING SINGLE PLT. FATIGUE HAS A WAY OF SNEAKING UP ON YOU EVEN ON SHORT DUTY DAYS SUCH AS THIS ONE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.