Flight plan was not closed within 30 mins of ETA. Search was started.

Attributes
ACN	473271
Time
Date	200005
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dvt.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 390 flight time type : 195
ASRS Report	473271
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : fss.2
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

By the time I had tied down the aircraft after the flight, filled out the paperwork, gathered my gear, walked to the FBO and called FSS, it was more than 30 mins past my ETA. FSS advised search and rescue had been started with a call to tower to close the flight plan (VFR). FSS then advised I should enter as ETA on flight plan form estimated time en route plus time to do postflt chores. FSS then advised they were recording 'I had called' as procedure or for enforcement, I don't know. Aim does not say to include 'administrative' time in ETA block of flight plan. If this is true, this needs to be in the aim. Problem can be avoided by padding ETA time, updating aim, carrying a cell phone?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT PLAN WAS NOT CLOSED WITHIN 30 MINS OF ETA. SEARCH WAS STARTED.

Narrative: BY THE TIME I HAD TIED DOWN THE ACFT AFTER THE FLT, FILLED OUT THE PAPERWORK, GATHERED MY GEAR, WALKED TO THE FBO AND CALLED FSS, IT WAS MORE THAN 30 MINS PAST MY ETA. FSS ADVISED SEARCH AND RESCUE HAD BEEN STARTED WITH A CALL TO TWR TO CLOSE THE FLT PLAN (VFR). FSS THEN ADVISED I SHOULD ENTER AS ETA ON FLT PLAN FORM ESTIMATED TIME ENRTE PLUS TIME TO DO POSTFLT CHORES. FSS THEN ADVISED THEY WERE RECORDING 'I HAD CALLED' AS PROC OR FOR ENFORCEMENT, I DON'T KNOW. AIM DOES NOT SAY TO INCLUDE 'ADMINISTRATIVE' TIME IN ETA BLOCK OF FLT PLAN. IF THIS IS TRUE, THIS NEEDS TO BE IN THE AIM. PROB CAN BE AVOIDED BY PADDING ETA TIME, UPDATING AIM, CARRYING A CELL PHONE?

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.