Narrative:

I failed to close to my flight plan after landing at an airport other than the destination shown on the flight plan. Flight was VFR from lake havasu, az, to long beach, ca. Vacation was cut short to get back to home base prior to a forecast storm. The storm moved in faster than predicted and VFR conditions became marginal. I, as pilot, elected to veer off designated route of flight and land at the closest airport. It was dusk, after the airport's operating hours, and there was a cold wind blowing. My first instinct after tying the plane down was to get a rental car or taxi. All bldgs were closed and locked. The only outside phone was not operating. My priority was getting my family sheltered and the fact that I had to notify the FSS slipped from my mind. Over 1 hour later I was able to get a taxi, after finding a janitor who let me in a bld to use a phone. Upon getting a motel room, I (fortunately) placed a called to the son of the owner of the airplane I was flying. After I did not close with the FSS, they contacted the owner who in turn was able to track down his son (who, since my call, had gone out for the evening). Within 4 hours of my ETA, I was found. I regret my oversight and the resulting inconvenience to FSS and search and rescue teams. The experience has become etched deep within me and I assure you my priorities are now: 1) fly safely, 2) let proper authorities know where I am, and/or what my intentions are.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FAILED TO CLOSE VFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: I FAILED TO CLOSE TO MY FLT PLAN AFTER LNDG AT AN ARPT OTHER THAN THE DEST SHOWN ON THE FLT PLAN. FLT WAS VFR FROM LAKE HAVASU, AZ, TO LONG BEACH, CA. VACATION WAS CUT SHORT TO GET BACK TO HOME BASE PRIOR TO A FORECAST STORM. THE STORM MOVED IN FASTER THAN PREDICTED AND VFR CONDITIONS BECAME MARGINAL. I, AS PLT, ELECTED TO VEER OFF DESIGNATED ROUTE OF FLT AND LAND AT THE CLOSEST ARPT. IT WAS DUSK, AFTER THE ARPT'S OPERATING HRS, AND THERE WAS A COLD WIND BLOWING. MY FIRST INSTINCT AFTER TYING THE PLANE DOWN WAS TO GET A RENTAL CAR OR TAXI. ALL BLDGS WERE CLOSED AND LOCKED. THE ONLY OUTSIDE PHONE WAS NOT OPERATING. MY PRIORITY WAS GETTING MY FAMILY SHELTERED AND THE FACT THAT I HAD TO NOTIFY THE FSS SLIPPED FROM MY MIND. OVER 1 HR LATER I WAS ABLE TO GET A TAXI, AFTER FINDING A JANITOR WHO LET ME IN A BLD TO USE A PHONE. UPON GETTING A MOTEL ROOM, I (FORTUNATELY) PLACED A CALLED TO THE SON OF THE OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE I WAS FLYING. AFTER I DID NOT CLOSE WITH THE FSS, THEY CONTACTED THE OWNER WHO IN TURN WAS ABLE TO TRACK DOWN HIS SON (WHO, SINCE MY CALL, HAD GONE OUT FOR THE EVENING). WITHIN 4 HRS OF MY ETA, I WAS FOUND. I REGRET MY OVERSIGHT AND THE RESULTING INCONVENIENCE TO FSS AND SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS. THE EXPERIENCE HAS BECOME ETCHED DEEP WITHIN ME AND I ASSURE YOU MY PRIORITIES ARE NOW: 1) FLY SAFELY, 2) LET PROPER AUTHORITIES KNOW WHERE I AM, AND/OR WHAT MY INTENTIONS ARE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.