FLAGGED FOR FLYING OVER 30 HOURS IN SEVEN DAYS; CARJ CAPTAIN BELIEVES FLT CREW SCHEDULING IS FALSIFYING FLT TIMES TO MAKE CREWS LEGAL FOR FLTS AND THEN RE-ENTERING CORRECT DATA AFTER THE FLTS ARE COMPLETE. ALSO REPORTS FATIGUE FROM POOR SCHEDULING WAS A FACTOR IN HIS FAILURE TO DETECT THE VIOLATION AND REFUSE TO FLY THE TRIP.

Date: 2007-11

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far

Synopsis

FLAGGED FOR FLYING OVER 30 HOURS IN SEVEN DAYS; CARJ CAPTAIN BELIEVES FLT CREW SCHEDULING IS FALSIFYING FLT TIMES TO MAKE CREWS LEGAL FOR FLTS AND THEN RE-ENTERING CORRECT DATA AFTER THE FLTS ARE COMPLETE. ALSO REPORTS FATIGUE FROM POOR SCHEDULING WAS A FACTOR IN HIS FAILURE TO DETECT THE VIOLATION AND REFUSE TO FLY THE TRIP.

Narrative

I WENT OVER 30 HRS OF FLYING IN 7 DAYS. I NOTIFIED FLT CREW SCHEDULING THE DAY BEFORE THAT I THOUGHT I WAS CLOSE TO TIMING OUT FOR THE WK; THEY CHKED MY TIMES ON CREW COMPUTER SYS TO MAKE SURE I WAS OK AND THEY SAID I WAS LEGAL TO FLY THE TRIP. LATER THE NEXT WK; I NOTICED THE CREW COMPUTER SYS NOW SHOWED SOMETHING IS WRONG FOR THAT DATE. I CHKED IT OUT AND FOUND THAT I HAD GONE OVER 30 HRS IN 7 DAYS. THERE ARE 2 FACTORS THAT I BELIEVE CAUSED THE PROB: 1) SCHEDULING HAS BEEN CHANGING THE TIMES OR PUTTING IN WRONG TIMES IN CREW COMPUTER SYS TO SHOW WE CAN COMPLETE A FLT THEN CHANGING THEM LATER TO THE ACTUAL TIMES. I HAVE HAD TO CALL IN ABOUT THIS AND HAVE THEM CHANGE THE TIMES ON A FEW DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED HERE BUT HAVING HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS BEFORE; IT IS VERY LIKELY WHAT HAPPENED. THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY OF OUR PLTS AND FLT ATTENDANTS. THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT I AM HEARING FROM OTHER PLTS. 2) FATIGUE: IF I HAD BEEN BETTER RESTED I KNOW I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS TIMING OUT ISSUE. I WAS ON A VERY LONG TRIP THAT HAD REDUCED REST AND FLYING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CLOCK BUILT INTO IT. RIGHT NOW THE CHIEF PLTS ARE THREATENING PLTS' JOBS ABOUT CALLING FATIGUE SO I DID NOT FEEL I COULD CALL IN AND AT THE TIME I THOUGHT I WAS OK. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY DID I REALIZE THAT I SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN FLYING. IF I AM THIS TIRED AGAIN; I WILL CALL IN FATIGUE. TO FIX THE PROB; THE TIMES NEED TO BE PUT IN CORRECTLY. THEY SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE TIMES THEY PUT IN. 14-16 HR DUTY DAYS SHOULD NOT BE BUILT INTO THE TRIPS. ONLY TO BE USED FOR UNFORECAST DELAYS. TRIPS SHOULD NOT BE BUILT THAT PLTS FLY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CLOCK WITH REDUCED REST. IF THEY DO BUILD THEM THIS WAY THEY NEED TO INCREASE REST FOR THE PLTS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.