A PA28 pilot was unable to close his DVFR flight plan in a timely fashion in mia.

Attributes
ACN	582777
Time
Date	200305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tmb.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Rain Windshear Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tmb.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	DVR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	582777
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : mia.airport

Narrative:

After activating my DVFR (defense visual flight rules) flight plan over andros island, bahamas, I proceeded toward mia. From midway across on west toward mia, I was unable to contact FSS on any of the many frequencys. Due to severe thunderstorms I diverted south of mia, and approached tmb between storms from the southwest. I managed to contact the tower for landing clearance. Due to traffic and storms, I was unable to cancel my DVFR flight plan. Upon landing I was directed to customs. At customs, I couldn't leave to find a phone to cancel my flight plan. After about 45 mins of customs stuff, I was allowed to leave and go to an FBO. After more storm-related telephone problems, I contacted FSS about an hour or more after landing. I think us customs should have FSS telephones for use to cancel flight plans. Contributing factors include severe thunderstorms and a lot of traffic in the mia area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE HIS DVFR FLT PLAN IN A TIMELY FASHION IN MIA.

Narrative: AFTER ACTIVATING MY DVFR (DEFENSE VISUAL FLT RULES) FLT PLAN OVER ANDROS ISLAND, BAHAMAS, I PROCEEDED TOWARD MIA. FROM MIDWAY ACROSS ON W TOWARD MIA, I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT FSS ON ANY OF THE MANY FREQS. DUE TO SEVERE TSTMS I DIVERTED S OF MIA, AND APCHED TMB BTWN STORMS FROM THE SW. I MANAGED TO CONTACT THE TWR FOR LNDG CLRNC. DUE TO TFC AND STORMS, I WAS UNABLE TO CANCEL MY DVFR FLT PLAN. UPON LNDG I WAS DIRECTED TO CUSTOMS. AT CUSTOMS, I COULDN'T LEAVE TO FIND A PHONE TO CANCEL MY FLT PLAN. AFTER ABOUT 45 MINS OF CUSTOMS STUFF, I WAS ALLOWED TO LEAVE AND GO TO AN FBO. AFTER MORE STORM-RELATED TELEPHONE PROBS, I CONTACTED FSS ABOUT AN HR OR MORE AFTER LNDG. I THINK US CUSTOMS SHOULD HAVE FSS TELEPHONES FOR USE TO CANCEL FLT PLANS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE SEVERE TSTMS AND A LOT OF TFC IN THE MIA AREA.

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.