Narrative:

I am an INS student. I had just completed an IFR training flight in VFR conditions. Although detroit approach (which serves arb) asked if we wanted to cancel IFR upon sighting arb, we declined in order to have coverage all the way to the ground. The tower had closed approximately 20 mins before our landing. Although we landed and broadcast our exit from the active runway over the tower/CTAF frequency (120.3), we forgot to also transmit over the ground frequency (121.6), which was monitored by detroit approach. Consequently, detroit approach did not know we had landed safely in order to close the IFR flight plan. Someone from the detroit office called my instrument at the airport approximately 30-40 mins after we had landed in order to find out what was going on. According to my instrument, the controller notified him that 2 aircraft were delayed due to our failure to close the flight plan promptly. Apparently, ATC threatened him with certificate action as well. To prevent a recurrence, I will develop a memory jogger to remind me that I have an open flight plan. Inconvenience to other aircraft could have been minimized by ATC if they had called the phone # on the flight plan earlier since both of us were available at that # immediately after the flight and for some time afterward. The ground frequency at arb is not always reliably picked up by detroit approach. An rco would help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAILED TO CLOSE INSTRUCTOR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: I AM AN INS STUDENT. I HAD JUST COMPLETED AN IFR TRNING FLT IN VFR CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH DETROIT APCH (WHICH SERVES ARB) ASKED IF WE WANTED TO CANCEL IFR UPON SIGHTING ARB, WE DECLINED IN ORDER TO HAVE COVERAGE ALL THE WAY TO THE GND. THE TWR HAD CLOSED APPROX 20 MINS BEFORE OUR LNDG. ALTHOUGH WE LANDED AND BROADCAST OUR EXIT FROM THE ACTIVE RWY OVER THE TWR/CTAF FREQ (120.3), WE FORGOT TO ALSO XMIT OVER THE GND FREQ (121.6), WHICH WAS MONITORED BY DETROIT APCH. CONSEQUENTLY, DETROIT APCH DID NOT KNOW WE HAD LANDED SAFELY IN ORDER TO CLOSE THE IFR FLT PLAN. SOMEONE FROM THE DETROIT OFFICE CALLED MY INSTR AT THE ARPT APPROX 30-40 MINS AFTER WE HAD LANDED IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. ACCORDING TO MY INSTR, THE CTLR NOTIFIED HIM THAT 2 ACFT WERE DELAYED DUE TO OUR FAILURE TO CLOSE THE FLT PLAN PROMPTLY. APPARENTLY, ATC THREATENED HIM WITH CERTIFICATE ACTION AS WELL. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, I WILL DEVELOP A MEMORY JOGGER TO REMIND ME THAT I HAVE AN OPEN FLT PLAN. INCONVENIENCE TO OTHER ACFT COULD HAVE BEEN MINIMIZED BY ATC IF THEY HAD CALLED THE PHONE # ON THE FLT PLAN EARLIER SINCE BOTH OF US WERE AVAILABLE AT THAT # IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FLT AND FOR SOME TIME AFTERWARD. THE GND FREQ AT ARB IS NOT ALWAYS RELIABLY PICKED UP BY DETROIT APCH. AN RCO WOULD HELP.

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.