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 feeling "lethargic and indifferent" in the last period before the accident) in evaluating whether fatigue was present.

The Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the accident was the impaired judgment, decision-making, and flying abilities of the captain and the other flight crewmembers because of the effects of fatigue; the captain's failure to properly assess the conditions for landing and maintaining vigilant situational awareness of the airplane while maneuvering onto final approach; his failure to prevent the loss of airspeed and avoid a stall while in the steep bank turn; and his failure to execute immediate action to recover from a stall. Additional factors contributing to the cause of the accident included the inadequacy of the flight and duty time regulations applied to 14 CFR Part 121 supplemental air carriers, international operations, and the circumstances that resulted in the extended flight and duty hours and fatigue of the flight crewmembers.

1.18.6.1 Previous Safety Recommendations Regarding Fatigue

On May 17, 1999, the Safety Board adopted a safety report entitled Evaluation of U.S. Department of Transportation Efforts in the 1990s to Address Operator Fatigue. In its report, the Board noted that in 1989 it issued three recommendations to the DOT addressing needed research, education, and revisions to hours-of-service regulations. The Board further noted that, since that time, it had issued more than 70 additional recommendations aimed at reducing the incidence of fatigue-related accidents.The Board stated that, even though the DOT and modal administrations had responded positively to the recommendations addressing research and education, little action had occurred with respect to revising the hours-of-service regulations.

The safety report discussed the activities and efforts by the DOT and the modal administrations to address operator fatigue and the resulting progress that has been made over the past 10 years to implement the actions called for in the Safety Board's fatiguerelated recommendations. The report also provided background information on current hours-of-service regulations, fatigue, and the effects of fatigue on transportation safety. As a result of its findings, the Safety Board issued Safety Recommendations I-99-1 and A-99-45.

Safety Recommendation I-99-1 asked the DOT to

Require the modal administrations to modify the appropriate Codes of Federal Regulations to establish scientifically based hours-of-service regulations that set limits on hours of service, provide predictable work and rest schedules, and