Narrative:

I forgot to close my VFR flight plan from 88J to lakeland, fl for sun and fun. Engine problems (magnetic) necessitated my landing short of destination at leeward airpark, approximately 85 mi north of lal. I did not remember to close flight plan until almost 2 hours after time due at lal. I am a low time pilot with 182 hours total. My flying is mostly local and not over an hour from my local airport. Prior to this incident, I had only practiced filing a flight plan during my student pilot training. I did close my flight plan from uni to 88J, but was told it had apparently not been open despite my requesting this. I think stress factors contributed to this failure to close flight plan. I had had a rebuilt right magnetic installed on engine day before I left, and when the engine began jerking and running rough, I thought the worst and landed. Several friendly people came to my rescue at leeward airpark and fixed the problem after a good period of time, and we stayed over in nearby ocala for the night. Corrective actions: had I arrived at lal there were many signs to remind one to close flight plans. I shall never forget to close one again due to the emotional impact this had on me. Also, at sun and fun, I purchased a book of aviation/pilot helps which suggested putting your watch on the opp arm you usually use as a reminder to close a flight plan. This is a great, practical idea.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PLT ON CROSS-COUNTRY FLT VFR MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG DUE ROUGH ENGINE AND FORGETS TO CANCEL FLT PLAN.

Narrative: I FORGOT TO CLOSE MY VFR FLT PLAN FROM 88J TO LAKELAND, FL FOR SUN AND FUN. ENG PROBS (MAG) NECESSITATED MY LNDG SHORT OF DEST AT LEEWARD AIRPARK, APPROX 85 MI N OF LAL. I DID NOT REMEMBER TO CLOSE FLT PLAN UNTIL ALMOST 2 HRS AFTER TIME DUE AT LAL. I AM A LOW TIME PLT WITH 182 HRS TOTAL. MY FLYING IS MOSTLY LCL AND NOT OVER AN HR FROM MY LCL ARPT. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, I HAD ONLY PRACTICED FILING A FLT PLAN DURING MY STUDENT PLT TRNING. I DID CLOSE MY FLT PLAN FROM UNI TO 88J, BUT WAS TOLD IT HAD APPARENTLY NOT BEEN OPEN DESPITE MY REQUESTING THIS. I THINK STRESS FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS FAILURE TO CLOSE FLT PLAN. I HAD HAD A REBUILT RIGHT MAG INSTALLED ON ENG DAY BEFORE I LEFT, AND WHEN THE ENG BEGAN JERKING AND RUNNING ROUGH, I THOUGHT THE WORST AND LANDED. SEVERAL FRIENDLY PEOPLE CAME TO MY RESCUE AT LEEWARD AIRPARK AND FIXED THE PROB AFTER A GOOD PERIOD OF TIME, AND WE STAYED OVER IN NEARBY OCALA FOR THE NIGHT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: HAD I ARRIVED AT LAL THERE WERE MANY SIGNS TO REMIND ONE TO CLOSE FLT PLANS. I SHALL NEVER FORGET TO CLOSE ONE AGAIN DUE TO THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT THIS HAD ON ME. ALSO, AT SUN AND FUN, I PURCHASED A BOOK OF AVIATION/PLT HELPS WHICH SUGGESTED PUTTING YOUR WATCH ON THE OPP ARM YOU USUALLY USE AS A REMINDER TO CLOSE A FLT PLAN. THIS IS A GREAT, PRACTICAL IDEA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.