Narrative:

The flight was scheduled to depart mgw at XX30 local on apr/thu/93, which would have allowed us to land during our assigned dca landing slot (XW00 local). Our passenger showed up early (XX00 local) wanting to depart mgw. Since no additional slots could be obtained, I elected to depart for dca (dca was VFR) with the plan to cancel my IFR flight plan at a final approach fix for dca. This would have kept our flight 'legal.' during the approach, the cockpit got busy and both the first officer and myself inadvertently neglected to cancel the IFR flight plan. We were able to obtain a departure slot via the FBO calling locally for a slot, which, by the way, could not be obtained through the automated phone system. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the assigned slot time is the start of the landing time and within the assigned hour, the aircraft should have landed. Reporter concern is that the FAA does an occasional audit and there is a 10000 dollar fine for non compliance. Scares him. He feels this is a very poor system as the local fbos can (and do) call in electronically at midnight and schedule all the time slots available. They may not use them, but they tie them up. Reporter has, on occasion, asked FBO if he can check for a departure time slot and the response is 'no problem.' they then check their list and offer a choice. Controllers apparently never have a comment or problem with aircraft cancelling IFR and continuing VFR WX permitting. It is normal procedure at dca.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR ACFT ARRIVES PRIOR TO LNDG SLOT TIME.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS SCHEDULED TO DEPART MGW AT XX30 LCL ON APR/THU/93, WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED US TO LAND DURING OUR ASSIGNED DCA LNDG SLOT (XW00 LCL). OUR PAX SHOWED UP EARLY (XX00 LCL) WANTING TO DEPART MGW. SINCE NO ADDITIONAL SLOTS COULD BE OBTAINED, I ELECTED TO DEPART FOR DCA (DCA WAS VFR) WITH THE PLAN TO CANCEL MY IFR FLT PLAN AT A FINAL APCH FIX FOR DCA. THIS WOULD HAVE KEPT OUR FLT 'LEGAL.' DURING THE APCH, THE COCKPIT GOT BUSY AND BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF INADVERTENTLY NEGLECTED TO CANCEL THE IFR FLT PLAN. WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN A DEP SLOT VIA THE FBO CALLING LOCALLY FOR A SLOT, WHICH, BY THE WAY, COULD NOT BE OBTAINED THROUGH THE AUTOMATED PHONE SYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE ASSIGNED SLOT TIME IS THE START OF THE LNDG TIME AND WITHIN THE ASSIGNED HR, THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE LANDED. RPTR CONCERN IS THAT THE FAA DOES AN OCCASIONAL AUDIT AND THERE IS A 10000 DOLLAR FINE FOR NON COMPLIANCE. SCARES HIM. HE FEELS THIS IS A VERY POOR SYS AS THE LCL FBOS CAN (AND DO) CALL IN ELECTRONICALLY AT MIDNIGHT AND SCHEDULE ALL THE TIME SLOTS AVAILABLE. THEY MAY NOT USE THEM, BUT THEY TIE THEM UP. RPTR HAS, ON OCCASION, ASKED FBO IF HE CAN CHK FOR A DEP TIME SLOT AND THE RESPONSE IS 'NO PROB.' THEY THEN CHK THEIR LIST AND OFFER A CHOICE. CTLRS APPARENTLY NEVER HAVE A COMMENT OR PROB WITH ACFT CANCELLING IFR AND CONTINUING VFR WX PERMITTING. IT IS NORMAL PROC AT DCA.

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.