Student pilot forgot to close flight plan at completion of solo cross country.

Attributes
ACN	109782
Time
Date	198905
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : o22
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 645 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	109782
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 86 flight time type : 86
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My student, a student pilot with approximately 90 hours, was on his long solo x-country toward his private certificate when I was contacted by sac FSS that he was overdue and had not closed his flight (20 mins late). At that time they said they were going to start a search (type not stated) in 20 mins. My student contacted me by phone 10 mins later, saying he was in columbia and had closed his flight plan. When he talked to sac to see if everything was ok, they told him he would find out soon. Exactly what that means I am not sure, but there must be a way to get students to close their flight plans (remembering to close them). If your readers have any suggestions on how (or a good method) to get students to close their flight plans, I would like to hear them. In the future, I will give them a pad of post-it notes, for a start.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT FORGOT TO CLOSE FLT PLAN AT COMPLETION OF SOLO CROSS COUNTRY.

Narrative: MY STUDENT, A STUDENT PLT WITH APPROX 90 HRS, WAS ON HIS LONG SOLO X-COUNTRY TOWARD HIS PVT CERTIFICATE WHEN I WAS CONTACTED BY SAC FSS THAT HE WAS OVERDUE AND HAD NOT CLOSED HIS FLT (20 MINS LATE). AT THAT TIME THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO START A SEARCH (TYPE NOT STATED) IN 20 MINS. MY STUDENT CONTACTED ME BY PHONE 10 MINS LATER, SAYING HE WAS IN COLUMBIA AND HAD CLOSED HIS FLT PLAN. WHEN HE TALKED TO SAC TO SEE IF EVERYTHING WAS OK, THEY TOLD HIM HE WOULD FIND OUT SOON. EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS I AM NOT SURE, BUT THERE MUST BE A WAY TO GET STUDENTS TO CLOSE THEIR FLT PLANS (REMEMBERING TO CLOSE THEM). IF YOUR READERS HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW (OR A GOOD METHOD) TO GET STUDENTS TO CLOSE THEIR FLT PLANS, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THEM. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL GIVE THEM A PAD OF POST-IT NOTES, FOR A START.

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.