PLT FALLS ASLEEP AT CTLS AFTER LONG DUTY NIGHT AND OVERFLIES DEST BEFORE WAKING UP.

Date: 2007-07 · Aircraft: Small Transport · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: deviation-track-heading-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|other-fell-asleep

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.