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Small aircraft pilot did not activate this VFR flight plan. Therefore, when a mechanical problem forced him to divert to an alternate, he didn't think it necessary to close it.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 196883 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199112 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : toa |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Flight Phase | cruise other landing other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 196883 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
I filed a flight plan with hawthorne flight service VFR from navy pt mugu to avalon. I obtained clearance through the lax TCA via the shoreline route. Immediately after exiting the TCA I noticed that my oil temperature was at the red line and the oil pressure had dropped below the red line. I immediately diverted to torrance airport and landed there for maintenance. Although I had filed a VFR flight plan I never activated it because I was receiving radar flight advisories and considered it unnecessary. After being on the ground for several hours at torrance while talking to the aircraft owner reference maintenance he told me that the FSS was looking for me as I hadn't closed my flight plan. I remember consciously thinking when I landed at torrance 'do I have to close my flight plan? No I never activated it.' I found out in a telephone call from the FSS that the tower at pt mugu opened the flight plan for me. I was unaware of that procedure.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT DID NOT ACTIVATE THIS VFR FLT PLAN. THEREFORE, WHEN A MECHANICAL PROBLEM FORCED HIM TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE, HE DIDN'T THINK IT NECESSARY TO CLOSE IT.
Narrative: I FILED A FLT PLAN WITH HAWTHORNE FLT SVC VFR FROM NAVY PT MUGU TO AVALON. I OBTAINED CLRNC THROUGH THE LAX TCA VIA THE SHORELINE RTE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER EXITING THE TCA I NOTICED THAT MY OIL TEMP WAS AT THE RED LINE AND THE OIL PRESSURE HAD DROPPED BELOW THE RED LINE. I IMMEDIATELY DIVERTED TO TORRANCE ARPT AND LANDED THERE FOR MAINT. ALTHOUGH I HAD FILED A VFR FLT PLAN I NEVER ACTIVATED IT BECAUSE I WAS RECEIVING RADAR FLT ADVISORIES AND CONSIDERED IT UNNECESSARY. AFTER BEING ON THE GND FOR SEVERAL HRS AT TORRANCE WHILE TALKING TO THE ACFT OWNER REF MAINT HE TOLD ME THAT THE FSS WAS LOOKING FOR ME AS I HADN'T CLOSED MY FLT PLAN. I REMEMBER CONSCIOUSLY THINKING WHEN I LANDED AT TORRANCE 'DO I HAVE TO CLOSE MY FLT PLAN? NO I NEVER ACTIVATED IT.' I FOUND OUT IN A TELEPHONE CALL FROM THE FSS THAT THE TWR AT PT MUGU OPENED THE FLT PLAN FOR ME. I WAS UNAWARE OF THAT PROC.
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.