Failure to close IFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	104984
Time
Date	198902
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hro
State Reference	AR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 5100
ASRS Report	104984
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on a visibility approach at our facility, center had just cleared us for the visibility and reminded me to not forget to cancel my IFR flight plan. Our FSS had just reduced its operating hours because of staffing and normally would cancel flight plan with center 10 mi out, but decided to wait until I cleared the runway to ensure protection in case of an accident. There were 2 other airplanes in the traffic pattern that afternoon with one asking for advisory information, which I gave. After clearing the runway I forgot to cancel and believe the distraction of the other 2 planes had something to do with it, in addition the WX was beautiful. Suggestion: do not become complacent in the every day tasks of flying. After each flight ask yourself if you've forgotten any of your responsibilities and finally keep your mind on flying regardless of how beautiful it may be outside. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states major problem here is unusual circumstances of having no active FSS. Staff shortage has caused limited hours of operation, from 6 am to 2 pm. Usually closes flight plan with FSS to assure actual arrival prior to close. Feels efforts to help aircraft in pattern and assuring his own sep put concentration into VFR mode and out of IFR thinking. After arriving home could not remember if had closed so contacted center. They had made phone calls to assure aircraft arrival. Reporter was lightly chastised and has been teased every time he files IFR since then.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAILURE TO CLOSE IFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VIS APCH AT OUR FAC, CENTER HAD JUST CLRED US FOR THE VIS AND REMINDED ME TO NOT FORGET TO CANCEL MY IFR FLT PLAN. OUR FSS HAD JUST REDUCED ITS OPERATING HRS BECAUSE OF STAFFING AND NORMALLY WOULD CANCEL FLT PLAN WITH CENTER 10 MI OUT, BUT DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL I CLRED THE RWY TO ENSURE PROTECTION IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. THERE WERE 2 OTHER AIRPLANES IN THE TFC PATTERN THAT AFTERNOON WITH ONE ASKING FOR ADVISORY INFO, WHICH I GAVE. AFTER CLRING THE RWY I FORGOT TO CANCEL AND BELIEVE THE DISTR OF THE OTHER 2 PLANES HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, IN ADDITION THE WX WAS BEAUTIFUL. SUGGESTION: DO NOT BECOME COMPLACENT IN THE EVERY DAY TASKS OF FLYING. AFTER EACH FLT ASK YOURSELF IF YOU'VE FORGOTTEN ANY OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND FINALLY KEEP YOUR MIND ON FLYING REGARDLESS OF HOW BEAUTIFUL IT MAY BE OUTSIDE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES MAJOR PROB HERE IS UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HAVING NO ACTIVE FSS. STAFF SHORTAGE HAS CAUSED LIMITED HRS OF OPERATION, FROM 6 AM TO 2 PM. USUALLY CLOSES FLT PLAN WITH FSS TO ASSURE ACTUAL ARR PRIOR TO CLOSE. FEELS EFFORTS TO HELP ACFT IN PATTERN AND ASSURING HIS OWN SEP PUT CONCENTRATION INTO VFR MODE AND OUT OF IFR THINKING. AFTER ARRIVING HOME COULD NOT REMEMBER IF HAD CLOSED SO CONTACTED CENTER. THEY HAD MADE PHONE CALLS TO ASSURE ACFT ARR. RPTR WAS LIGHTLY CHASTISED AND HAS BEEN TEASED EVERY TIME HE FILES IFR SINCE THEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.