PLT FALLS ASLEEP AT CTLS AFTER LONG DUTY NIGHT AND OVERFLIES DEST BEFORE WAKING UP.
Synopsis
PLT FALLS ASLEEP AT CTLS AFTER LONG DUTY NIGHT AND OVERFLIES DEST BEFORE WAKING UP.
Narrative
AT THE END OF A 12 HR DUTY DAY ON THE LAST LEG OF THE FLT; I FELL ASLEEP WHILE ENRTE FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ. I STARTED DUTY AT XA30 LCL FROM ZZZ AND FLEW THROUGH THE NIGHT. TOTAL FLT TIME IS JUST OVER 6 HRS FOR THE NIGHT. ON THE LAST LEG AROUND XL30 LCL TIME NEAR ZZZ; I APPARENTLY FELL ASLEEP. I DO NOT REMEMBER FEELING SLEEPY OR THE NEED TO TRY TO DO ACTIVITY TO STAY ALERT. I HAD THE AUTOPLT ON AND WAS CRUISING AT 6000 FT MSL. WHEN I WOKE UP; I WAS APPROX 15 MI PAST THE ZZZ ARPT. I TURNED THE ACFT AROUND AND MADE CONTACT WITH ATC. I WAS THEN VECTORED FROM THE S FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 10. UPON LNDG I WAS GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO CONTACT APCH WITH. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN THE ENG AND UNLOADING THE CARGO; I PROCEEDED TO CALL APCH ON THE PHONE. I SPOKE WITH A CTLR AND EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I HAD FALLEN ASLEEP WITH THE AUTOPLT ON AND OVERFLEW THE ARPT. HE THEN REQUESTED MY PHONE NUMBER IN CASE THERE WAS A NEED TO CONTACT ME SO I PROVIDED HIM WITH IT. HE THEN TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE I HAD NOT LEFT ZZZ AIRSPACE; HE DID NOT BELIEVE THERE WOULD BE AN ISSUE. THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD. I BELIEVE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS OCCURRENCE ARE THAT I AM A RESERVE PLT WITH A CHANGING SCHEDULE. I HAD BEEN ON A DAY SCHEDULE 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THIS FLT AND SWITCHED TO THE NIGHT SCHEDULE 2 NIGHTS BEFORE. FATIGUE WAS PROBABLY A FACTOR IN THAT I WORK LONG HRS AND GET 5-7 HRS OF SLEEP A NIGHT. CONTRIBUTING TO MY FATIGUE IS THAT I HAD FLOWN THE PREVIOUS 6 DAYS CONSECUTIVELY. ALSO; MY FATHER IS HAVING SURGERY ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT AND MY WIFE IS 9 MONTHS PREGNANT WITH OUR FIRST CHILD.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.