Small aircraft pilot forgot to close his IFR flight plan at an uncontrolled field.

Attributes
ACN	454740
Time
Date	199911
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : uyf.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cmh.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	controller radar : 25 flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	454740
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Termination of IFR night flight under VMC. Cmh approach control asked me to close flight plan with him after being released to monitor/talk on local CTAF 123.0 during landing phase of flight. Was so concentrated on making it to gas pump by closing time (time airport closed and was left unattended for the night) that I forgot to close IFR flight plan. After about 10 mins, cmh called airport attendant to confirm I was down and safe. No excuse for failure to close plan. My concern was legitimate as attendant pointedly told me he had to stay 10 mins beyond his quitting time to service my airplane. Notwithstanding, closing flight plan is my work, not his.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FORGOT TO CLOSE HIS IFR FLT PLAN AT AN UNCTLED FIELD.

Narrative: TERMINATION OF IFR NIGHT FLT UNDER VMC. CMH APCH CTL ASKED ME TO CLOSE FLT PLAN WITH HIM AFTER BEING RELEASED TO MONITOR/TALK ON LCL CTAF 123.0 DURING LNDG PHASE OF FLT. WAS SO CONCENTRATED ON MAKING IT TO GAS PUMP BY CLOSING TIME (TIME ARPT CLOSED AND WAS LEFT UNATTENDED FOR THE NIGHT) THAT I FORGOT TO CLOSE IFR FLT PLAN. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINS, CMH CALLED ARPT ATTENDANT TO CONFIRM I WAS DOWN AND SAFE. NO EXCUSE FOR FAILURE TO CLOSE PLAN. MY CONCERN WAS LEGITIMATE AS ATTENDANT POINTEDLY TOLD ME HE HAD TO STAY 10 MINS BEYOND HIS QUITTING TIME TO SVC MY AIRPLANE. NOTWITHSTANDING, CLOSING FLT PLAN IS MY WORK, NOT HIS.

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.