SINGLE PLT BECAME SO FATIGUED DURING APCH TO IXD; THAT HE EXECUTED A GAR AFTER BECOMING CONFUSED BY A GEAR PROB.
Synopsis
SINGLE PLT BECAME SO FATIGUED DURING APCH TO IXD; THAT HE EXECUTED A GAR AFTER BECOMING CONFUSED BY A GEAR PROB.
Narrative
I ARRIVED IN VICINITY OF IXD SHORTLY AFTER XA00. I HAD BEEN AWAKE AND WORKING SINCE EARLY MORNING THE PREVIOUS MORNING; AND HAD FLOWN OVER 8 HRS. I HAD NOT TAKEN ANY TIME FOR EVEN A SHORT NAP. I FELT THAT I WAS 'AWAKE ENOUGH' WHEN I BEGAN THE LAST LEG; AND HAD DECIDED THAT I WOULD GET A HOTEL IF THERE WERE ANY WX TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT; BUT THE WX WAS PERFECT; SO I CONTINUED ON. WHEN I BEGAN A VISUAL APCH AT IXD; I DEPLOYED SPD BRAKES; AND AS I SLOWED THROUGH GEAR EXTENSION SPD; I LOWERED THE GEAR. WHEN I RETRACTED THE SPD BRAKES; THE ANNUNCIATOR REMAINED ON; INDICATING THAT EITHER THEY HAD NOT RETRACTED; OR WERE ASYMMETRICAL. IT SEEMED TO TAKE ME A WHILE TO REMEMBER THAT THE PROPER ACTION WAS TO KILL PWR TO THE BRAKES; AS THAT AUTOMATICALLY RETRACTS THEM. I WAS THEN VERY LATE IN NOTICING THAT; THOUGH THE GEAR SWITCH WAS IN THE DOWN POS; THE GEAR LIGHTS HAD NOT ILLUMINATED. I PERFORMED THE EMER EXTENSION PROC OVER THE RWY; AND THEN SOMEWHAT GROGGILY DECIDED THAT I OUGHT TO GO AROUND; AS I WAS NOT GOING TO GET STOPPED ON THE REMAINING RWY. MY JUDGEMENT IN DEPARTING ON THE LAST LEG WAS SPECTACULARLY BAD; AND THOUGH NO ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT RESULTED; IT WAS A VERY CLOSE CALL. I FLEW NIGHT FREIGHT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER; AND I BELIEVED THAT I WAS IMMUNE TO 'BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK' FATIGUE. I AM NOT; AND THOUGH REST AND DUTY RULES WILL PROBABLY NEVER FLY FOR PART 91 PLTS; THEY SHOULD AT LEAST THINK ABOUT SETTING PERSONAL STANDARDS AND EVALUATING THOSE STANDARDS AS THEY AGE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.