Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Fatigue
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Company Policy
It was Day 6 of a 7 Day [assignment]. We were conducting a passenger flight [to] BED. The crew had been on duty since XA:00. We departed during daylight VFR conditions and proceeded to BED. The sun went down; we entered IMC and freezing precipitation and didn't break out of the clouds until Boston Center began vectoring us for a visual approach to Bedford Airport at 9000 feet. 20 miles from the field they cleared us for a visual approach and directed us to enter a right downwind for RWY 29. I saw the field and lined up parallel on the downwind to RWY 29. I began my base turn at the appropriate interval and as I rolled out of the right turn; I immediately lost situational awareness of where I was in relation to my position and the runway. I responded to my FO that I had lost the runway and he pointed out that I was still in a turn and heading away from the airport. I stopped my turn and descent and leveled off. I regained my situational awareness after a few seconds and proceeded to the runway without difficulty in a stable condition and landed without event.Scheduling of the day had a lot to do with the fatigue factor of this trip. I began at XA:00 that morning after a min turn the night before. We had a maintenance issue with the aircraft that morning and the company decided the split the crew up. I got a new FO and sat in [departure airport of the first leg] for an additional 6 hours. At the last minute the company threw a 3 leg trip on us with planned 45 minute turns between each leg. Day 6; min rest; poor food quality; and constant pressure by the company finally caught up with me on the downwind leg into BED. It hit me immediately. The sun went down and so did my situational awareness. I never felt or saw it coming. Better scheduling and less punitive scheduling.
C680 Captain reported losing situational awareness on a night visual approach into BED; citing fatigue from a difficult scheduling assignment as contributing factor.