Narrative:

I filed a flight plan by phone at blythe prior to departure with the riverside FSS. I listed 3 hours ete. Due to higher than forecast headwinds, I fell behind on my flight plan. I left blythe at XX30 PDT. At approximately XC45 PDT I attempted to raise FSS by radio to inform them of a revised ETA. I was in the area of delano, ca, which is near a large antenna farm. I was unable to raise FSS on the radio before reaching the vicinity of the delano traffic pattern, where I retuned my radio to delano CTAF. I proceeded to land. On the ground I tried calling FSS using the 800/WX-brief #. I switched to the riverside FSS station (should have been fat) where my call was put on hold for 10 mins before I hung up. I then contacted directory assistance to find a phone # for the fat FSS. They did not have it available and instead gave me bfl. I then dialed long distance and reached bfl where I closed my flight plan. Later, on departing dlo, I was unable to contact fat FSS on the recommended frequency for the dlo area until 20 mi west of dlo, and only with poor signal quality. I finally reached them by duplex transmission from a VOR (ptv). The problem arose due to the high pilot workload trying to navigation, determine fuel state, and manage ATC communications through the bfl area. I forgot to contact FSS and amend my flight plan with a new (later) arrival time. A contributing factor was the poor communication with FSS in the dlo area. Additionally the time spent on hold and trying to get in touch with an FSS delayed closing of the flight plan. Carefully noting time of arrival and planning in advance to contact FSS if flight falls behind would have corrected this problem. Planning in advance means calling an FSS when in range of one, even if it was considerably before the flight plan was due to be closed. Establishing a rco in the dlo area, or publishing an FSS frequency that actually worked would be helpful as well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA SLOW TO CLOSE FLT PLAN AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: I FILED A FLT PLAN BY PHONE AT BLYTHE PRIOR TO DEP WITH THE RIVERSIDE FSS. I LISTED 3 HRS ETE. DUE TO HIGHER THAN FORECAST HEADWINDS, I FELL BEHIND ON MY FLT PLAN. I LEFT BLYTHE AT XX30 PDT. AT APPROX XC45 PDT I ATTEMPTED TO RAISE FSS BY RADIO TO INFORM THEM OF A REVISED ETA. I WAS IN THE AREA OF DELANO, CA, WHICH IS NEAR A LARGE ANTENNA FARM. I WAS UNABLE TO RAISE FSS ON THE RADIO BEFORE REACHING THE VICINITY OF THE DELANO TFC PATTERN, WHERE I RETUNED MY RADIO TO DELANO CTAF. I PROCEEDED TO LAND. ON THE GND I TRIED CALLING FSS USING THE 800/WX-BRIEF #. I SWITCHED TO THE RIVERSIDE FSS STATION (SHOULD HAVE BEEN FAT) WHERE MY CALL WAS PUT ON HOLD FOR 10 MINS BEFORE I HUNG UP. I THEN CONTACTED DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE TO FIND A PHONE # FOR THE FAT FSS. THEY DID NOT HAVE IT AVAILABLE AND INSTEAD GAVE ME BFL. I THEN DIALED LONG DISTANCE AND REACHED BFL WHERE I CLOSED MY FLT PLAN. LATER, ON DEPARTING DLO, I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT FAT FSS ON THE RECOMMENDED FREQ FOR THE DLO AREA UNTIL 20 MI W OF DLO, AND ONLY WITH POOR SIGNAL QUALITY. I FINALLY REACHED THEM BY DUPLEX XMISSION FROM A VOR (PTV). THE PROB AROSE DUE TO THE HIGH PLT WORKLOAD TRYING TO NAV, DETERMINE FUEL STATE, AND MANAGE ATC COMS THROUGH THE BFL AREA. I FORGOT TO CONTACT FSS AND AMEND MY FLT PLAN WITH A NEW (LATER) ARR TIME. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE POOR COM WITH FSS IN THE DLO AREA. ADDITIONALLY THE TIME SPENT ON HOLD AND TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH AN FSS DELAYED CLOSING OF THE FLT PLAN. CAREFULLY NOTING TIME OF ARR AND PLANNING IN ADVANCE TO CONTACT FSS IF FLT FALLS BEHIND WOULD HAVE CORRECTED THIS PROB. PLANNING IN ADVANCE MEANS CALLING AN FSS WHEN IN RANGE OF ONE, EVEN IF IT WAS CONSIDERABLY BEFORE THE FLT PLAN WAS DUE TO BE CLOSED. ESTABLISHING A RCO IN THE DLO AREA, OR PUBLISHING AN FSS FREQ THAT ACTUALLY WORKED WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL.

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.