Pilot of small aircraft failed to close VFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	173602
Time
Date	199103
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bkl
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : msn
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground : parked landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 210 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	173602
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem was caused by family matters which caused me to lose my train of thought. I was unable to call FSS and close my VFR flight plan because I was distracted by personal matters. This type of event could be prevented by having automatic cancellation of VFR flight plans upon landing, like IFR flight plans.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA FAILED TO CLOSE VFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY FAMILY MATTERS WHICH CAUSED ME TO LOSE MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. I WAS UNABLE TO CALL FSS AND CLOSE MY VFR FLT PLAN BECAUSE I WAS DISTRACTED BY PERSONAL MATTERS. THIS TYPE OF EVENT COULD BE PREVENTED BY HAVING AUTOMATIC CANCELLATION OF VFR FLT PLANS UPON LNDG, LIKE IFR FLT PLANS.

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.