Small aircraft closes VFR flight plan with FSS. Specialist fails to record closing.

Attributes
ACN	187765
Time
Date	199108
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mtn
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 500
ASRS Report	187765
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departed mtn in VFR conditions to aiy. 2 min after departure, opened VFR flight with leesburg radio. Over chesapeake bay, visibility was marginal VFR so PIC made decision to return to mtn. 10 min after landing, called leesburg FSS to close flight plan by telephone. Flight plan closed by FSS personnel (I thought) initials xy. When I returned home, message on my answering machine from mtn FBO. FSS was looking for me because they said that I didn't close flight plan. I called leesburg and talked to a supervisor about this problem and confirmed that indeed xy does work there. This is not the first time this has happened. Perhaps the FSS personnel are overworked and forget to close the plan. A VFR pilot is at the mercy of these people. If an IFR flight plan does not get closed at a controled field, it is the tower operator's fault. Perhaps an identify number can be issued to the pilot as proof that he or she indeed closed the flight plan (initials are not really adequate proof). You get a confirmation number when you make a hotel reservation, why not when you close a flight plan?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CLOSES VFR FLT PLAN WITH FSS. SPECIALIST FAILS TO RECORD CLOSING.

Narrative: DEPARTED MTN IN VFR CONDITIONS TO AIY. 2 MIN AFTER DEP, OPENED VFR FLT WITH LEESBURG RADIO. OVER CHESAPEAKE BAY, VISIBILITY WAS MARGINAL VFR SO PIC MADE DECISION TO RETURN TO MTN. 10 MIN AFTER LNDG, CALLED LEESBURG FSS TO CLOSE FLT PLAN BY TELEPHONE. FLT PLAN CLOSED BY FSS PERSONNEL (I THOUGHT) INITIALS XY. WHEN I RETURNED HOME, MESSAGE ON MY ANSWERING MACHINE FROM MTN FBO. FSS WAS LOOKING FOR ME BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT I DIDN'T CLOSE FLT PLAN. I CALLED LEESBURG AND TALKED TO A SUPVR ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND CONFIRMED THAT INDEED XY DOES WORK THERE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. PERHAPS THE FSS PERSONNEL ARE OVERWORKED AND FORGET TO CLOSE THE PLAN. A VFR PLT IS AT THE MERCY OF THESE PEOPLE. IF AN IFR FLT PLAN DOES NOT GET CLOSED AT A CTLED FIELD, IT IS THE TWR OPERATOR'S FAULT. PERHAPS AN IDENT NUMBER CAN BE ISSUED TO THE PLT AS PROOF THAT HE OR SHE INDEED CLOSED THE FLT PLAN (INITIALS ARE NOT REALLY ADEQUATE PROOF). YOU GET A CONFIRMATION NUMBER WHEN YOU MAKE A HOTEL RESERVATION, WHY NOT WHEN YOU CLOSE A FLT PLAN?

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.