Small aircraft pilot delays cancelling VFR flight plan triggering investigation.

Attributes
ACN	125204
Time
Date	198910
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 320 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	125204
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I filed a VFR flight plan from ithaca, ny to dulles with a stop in baltimore (bwi). Strong headwinds slowed the flight and, after dropping a passenger at bwi, I decided to go to dca instead of dulles. It was my first trip into dca and my concentration on navigation and ATC caused me to forget to amend my flight plan. After landing at dca, I attempted to call leesburg flight service via the '800' number. I tried for 15 mins and was unable to get through. I then got on the subway, rode for about 15 mins and then got off to try FSS again. I was then successful in getting the recorded messages which instructed me to close the flight plan by taping the information, which I did. Although I did not speak with an FSS specialist, I later learned that FSS had phoned several contact points trying to locate me. The problem seems to have resulted from my initially being unable to reach FSS to close the plan and/or the recorded closure information did not make it into the system fast enough.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DELAYS CANCELLING VFR FLT PLAN TRIGGERING INVESTIGATION.

Narrative: I FILED A VFR FLT PLAN FROM ITHACA, NY TO DULLES WITH A STOP IN BALTIMORE (BWI). STRONG HEADWINDS SLOWED THE FLT AND, AFTER DROPPING A PAX AT BWI, I DECIDED TO GO TO DCA INSTEAD OF DULLES. IT WAS MY FIRST TRIP INTO DCA AND MY CONCENTRATION ON NAVIGATION AND ATC CAUSED ME TO FORGET TO AMEND MY FLT PLAN. AFTER LNDG AT DCA, I ATTEMPTED TO CALL LEESBURG FLT SERVICE VIA THE '800' NUMBER. I TRIED FOR 15 MINS AND WAS UNABLE TO GET THROUGH. I THEN GOT ON THE SUBWAY, RODE FOR ABOUT 15 MINS AND THEN GOT OFF TO TRY FSS AGAIN. I WAS THEN SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE RECORDED MESSAGES WHICH INSTRUCTED ME TO CLOSE THE FLT PLAN BY TAPING THE INFORMATION, WHICH I DID. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT SPEAK WITH AN FSS SPECIALIST, I LATER LEARNED THAT FSS HAD PHONED SEVERAL CONTACT POINTS TRYING TO LOCATE ME. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE RESULTED FROM MY INITIALLY BEING UNABLE TO REACH FSS TO CLOSE THE PLAN AND/OR THE RECORDED CLOSURE INFORMATION DID NOT MAKE IT INTO THE SYSTEM FAST ENOUGH.

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.