Narrative:

On mar/xa/99, I filed a flight plan with oak FSS. The flight plan was for the flight that originated from sjc, continued with a stop in sns and was to terminate in L52. Unfortunately, when I got to sns, the FBO was closed, so I had to divert to monterey to get fuel. This added both time and a distraction to my flight. Once I got to oceano, the pilot controled lighting would not light the airport. This also added a distraction to my flight. After diverting again, this time to san luis obispo, I realized that I was now about 1 1/2 hours past my projected time of arrival at L52. At this time I immediately called hawthorne radio to close my flight plan. I was then informed that they would call off the search and rescue. My delay, though completely unintentional, in closing my flight plan was avoidable. Too many small problems in an aircraft that I had spent less than 10 hours in certainly led to too many distrs. However, a little more leeway could be given before search and rescue is called out. Especially when considering that I had stayed in contact with the appropriate facilities throughout the flight until about 10 mi from L52.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PVT PLT CLOSES OUT HIS VFR FLT PLAN 1 PT 5 HRS OVERDUE. FSS SAYS THEY WILL 'CALL OFF THE SEARCH AND RESCUE.'

Narrative: ON MAR/XA/99, I FILED A FLT PLAN WITH OAK FSS. THE FLT PLAN WAS FOR THE FLT THAT ORIGINATED FROM SJC, CONTINUED WITH A STOP IN SNS AND WAS TO TERMINATE IN L52. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I GOT TO SNS, THE FBO WAS CLOSED, SO I HAD TO DIVERT TO MONTEREY TO GET FUEL. THIS ADDED BOTH TIME AND A DISTR TO MY FLT. ONCE I GOT TO OCEANO, THE PLT CTLED LIGHTING WOULD NOT LIGHT THE ARPT. THIS ALSO ADDED A DISTR TO MY FLT. AFTER DIVERTING AGAIN, THIS TIME TO SAN LUIS OBISPO, I REALIZED THAT I WAS NOW ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS PAST MY PROJECTED TIME OF ARR AT L52. AT THIS TIME I IMMEDIATELY CALLED HAWTHORNE RADIO TO CLOSE MY FLT PLAN. I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD CALL OFF THE SEARCH AND RESCUE. MY DELAY, THOUGH COMPLETELY UNINTENTIONAL, IN CLOSING MY FLT PLAN WAS AVOIDABLE. TOO MANY SMALL PROBS IN AN ACFT THAT I HAD SPENT LESS THAN 10 HRS IN CERTAINLY LED TO TOO MANY DISTRS. HOWEVER, A LITTLE MORE LEEWAY COULD BE GIVEN BEFORE SEARCH AND RESCUE IS CALLED OUT. ESPECIALLY WHEN CONSIDERING THAT I HAD STAYED IN CONTACT WITH THE APPROPRIATE FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE FLT UNTIL ABOUT 10 MI FROM L52.

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.