Narrative:

I called seattle FSS at boeing field in washington for a WX briefing, and to file a VFR flight plan from victoria, back course to boeing field, departing in about an hour. The briefing was obtained, and I had included 'adcus' in the special remarks. I had also asked if customs office was open then and they assured me that they were open 24 hours and that they would advise. I departed from victoria and requested tower to open my flight plan (as per procedure at this airport). They had trouble locating my flight plan and asked if I had filed with vancouver. I replied that I had filed with seattle. They came back, 'ok, we found it, your flight plan has been activated'. Upon touchdown at boeing, I radioed seattle FSS to close out my flight plan, as I have landed at my destination. With a short pause, FSS replied that my flight plan has been closed. I then taxied to customs, where I waited for 20 mins as no one was there. I left the plane there to go call the number on the locked customs door. I talked to someone at the customs department who had trouble locating me on his computer. He said that there was an aircraft that was 1 digit off from mine that departed victoria and was to arrive at the same time at boeing field, maybe that got entered into the computer wrong. I went back to the plane where I was met by the customs agent. He stated that he was unaware of my arrival, nor of a flight plan ever being activated. A week later, I received notice from the department of the treasury and the united stated customs service that I was in violation of regulation 19cfr122.31. The penalty is $5,000.00!! I would like to advise all your readers in callback to contact the customs office personally by telephone prior to arrival, and gather names, numbers, and anything else relevant to the flight for the purpose of proof of contact. I strongly dispute this charge and its absurd penalty, as I fully intended to do what I thought was required of me, and that there was no criminal action or intent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ALLEGEDLY ENTERED UNITED STATES WITHOUT NOTICE TO CUSTOMS.

Narrative: I CALLED SEATTLE FSS AT BOEING FIELD IN WASHINGTON FOR A WX BRIEFING, AND TO FILE A VFR FLT PLAN FROM VICTORIA, BC TO BOEING FIELD, DEPARTING IN ABOUT AN HR. THE BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED, AND I HAD INCLUDED 'ADCUS' IN THE SPECIAL REMARKS. I HAD ALSO ASKED IF CUSTOMS OFFICE WAS OPEN THEN AND THEY ASSURED ME THAT THEY WERE OPEN 24 HRS AND THAT THEY WOULD ADVISE. I DEPARTED FROM VICTORIA AND REQUESTED TWR TO OPEN MY FLT PLAN (AS PER PROC AT THIS ARPT). THEY HAD TROUBLE LOCATING MY FLT PLAN AND ASKED IF I HAD FILED WITH VANCOUVER. I REPLIED THAT I HAD FILED WITH SEATTLE. THEY CAME BACK, 'OK, WE FOUND IT, YOUR FLT PLAN HAS BEEN ACTIVATED'. UPON TOUCHDOWN AT BOEING, I RADIOED SEATTLE FSS TO CLOSE OUT MY FLT PLAN, AS I HAVE LANDED AT MY DEST. WITH A SHORT PAUSE, FSS REPLIED THAT MY FLT PLAN HAS BEEN CLOSED. I THEN TAXIED TO CUSTOMS, WHERE I WAITED FOR 20 MINS AS NO ONE WAS THERE. I LEFT THE PLANE THERE TO GO CALL THE NUMBER ON THE LOCKED CUSTOMS DOOR. I TALKED TO SOMEONE AT THE CUSTOMS DEPT WHO HAD TROUBLE LOCATING ME ON HIS COMPUTER. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT THAT WAS 1 DIGIT OFF FROM MINE THAT DEPARTED VICTORIA AND WAS TO ARRIVE AT THE SAME TIME AT BOEING FIELD, MAYBE THAT GOT ENTERED INTO THE COMPUTER WRONG. I WENT BACK TO THE PLANE WHERE I WAS MET BY THE CUSTOMS AGENT. HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNAWARE OF MY ARR, NOR OF A FLT PLAN EVER BEING ACTIVATED. A WK LATER, I RECEIVED NOTICE FROM THE DEPT OF THE TREASURY AND THE UNITED STATED CUSTOMS SVC THAT I WAS IN VIOLATION OF REG 19CFR122.31. THE PENALTY IS $5,000.00!! I WOULD LIKE TO ADVISE ALL YOUR READERS IN CALLBACK TO CONTACT THE CUSTOMS OFFICE PERSONALLY BY TELEPHONE PRIOR TO ARR, AND GATHER NAMES, NUMBERS, AND ANYTHING ELSE RELEVANT TO THE FLT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROOF OF CONTACT. I STRONGLY DISPUTE THIS CHARGE AND ITS ABSURD PENALTY, AS I FULLY INTENDED TO DO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS REQUIRED OF ME, AND THAT THERE WAS NO CRIMINAL ACTION OR INTENT.

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.