Mgm controller expressed concern regarding the failure of FSS to process PF information in a timely ...

Attributes
ACN	746543
Time
Date	200707
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mgm.tower
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground controller : local controller : clearance delivery controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 19 controller supervisory : 2.5 controller time certified in position1 : 2.5
ASRS Report	746543
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

Locally based aircraft called on clearance delivery frequency for IFR clearance. None had printed out and a check of the NAS/fdio showed no flight plan was stored. We advised pilot of this and he chose to make his trip VFR with no flight plan rather than take the time to sort out the issue. I asked the pilot how he had filed and he advised that he had filed through AFSS. This failure of AFSS to do their job means that the pilot would not receive either IFR or VFR search/rescue functions provided by the respective flight plans plus extra work for the tower clearance delivery controller who has to hunt for a non-existent flight plan.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MGM CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE FAILURE OF FSS TO PROCESS PF INFO IN A TIMELY MANNER.

Narrative: LOCALLY BASED ACFT CALLED ON CLRNC DELIVERY FREQ FOR IFR CLRNC. NONE HAD PRINTED OUT AND A CHK OF THE NAS/FDIO SHOWED NO FLT PLAN WAS STORED. WE ADVISED PLT OF THIS AND HE CHOSE TO MAKE HIS TRIP VFR WITH NO FLT PLAN RATHER THAN TAKE THE TIME TO SORT OUT THE ISSUE. I ASKED THE PLT HOW HE HAD FILED AND HE ADVISED THAT HE HAD FILED THROUGH AFSS. THIS FAILURE OF AFSS TO DO THEIR JOB MEANS THAT THE PLT WOULD NOT RECEIVE EITHER IFR OR VFR SEARCH/RESCUE FUNCTIONS PROVIDED BY THE RESPECTIVE FLT PLANS PLUS EXTRA WORK FOR THE TWR CLRNC DELIVERY CTLR WHO HAS TO HUNT FOR A NON-EXISTENT FLT PLAN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Mgm controller expressed concern regarding the failure of FSS to process PF information in a timely manner.