Pilot of small aircraft fails to close or cancel out his IFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	202078
Time
Date	199202
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lbx
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1500
ASRS Report	202078
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying the ILS approach to lbx and was cleared to change to advisory frequency. After alerting local traffic I switched back to approach control to cancel my IFR but I was too low to contact approach control. After landing I got involved with ground traffic and forgot to cancel my IFR. I did not remember until approximately 20 min had elapsed. This caused aircraft to be diverted and held. I am not sure how this can be prevented at uncontrolled airports except rigid use of a checklist that reminds pilots to cancel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA FAILS TO CLOSE OR CANCEL OUT HIS IFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE ILS APCH TO LBX AND WAS CLRED TO CHANGE TO ADVISORY FREQ. AFTER ALERTING LCL TFC I SWITCHED BACK TO APCH CTL TO CANCEL MY IFR BUT I WAS TOO LOW TO CONTACT APCH CTL. AFTER LNDG I GOT INVOLVED WITH GND TFC AND FORGOT TO CANCEL MY IFR. I DID NOT REMEMBER UNTIL APPROX 20 MIN HAD ELAPSED. THIS CAUSED ACFT TO BE DIVERTED AND HELD. I AM NOT SURE HOW THIS CAN BE PREVENTED AT UNCTLED ARPTS EXCEPT RIGID USE OF A CHKLIST THAT REMINDS PLTS TO CANCEL.

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.