An small aircraft pilot failed to close his flight plan after landing in IFR conditions.

Attributes
ACN	225199
Time
Date	199210
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 1f0
State Reference	OK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2900 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	225199
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Controller was very busy and cleared me for approach later than I would have preferred. She cleared me and also advised to switch to unicom. She made no mention of procedure for cancelling IFR. The approach was made without incident, but the unicom was not working due to temporary malfunction. The combination of all these events diverted me from my usual sequence of cancelling after establishing contact with unicom at uncontrolled airports. I needed to make a business phone call as soon as I got on ground and did so. FSS called to inquire if I were on ground before I even realized I had not cancelled. This certainly caused a delay for others. No safety problems but the error was mine. 2 points about this that may be of benefit to others: pilots with 40 plus yrs experience can be more forgetful than younger ones. Things get too routine. Thus, we must be continually on guard to follow procedures. Center or approach controllers should always advise pilots of cancellation procedure when they clear them from their frequency to contact unicom for uncontrolled airports.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT FAILED TO CLOSE HIS FLT PLAN AFTER LNDG IN IFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND CLRED ME FOR APCH LATER THAN I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED. SHE CLRED ME AND ALSO ADVISED TO SWITCH TO UNICOM. SHE MADE NO MENTION OF PROC FOR CANCELLING IFR. THE APCH WAS MADE WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT THE UNICOM WAS NOT WORKING DUE TO TEMPORARY MALFUNCTION. THE COMBINATION OF ALL THESE EVENTS DIVERTED ME FROM MY USUAL SEQUENCE OF CANCELLING AFTER ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH UNICOM AT UNCTLED ARPTS. I NEEDED TO MAKE A BUSINESS PHONE CALL AS SOON AS I GOT ON GND AND DID SO. FSS CALLED TO INQUIRE IF I WERE ON GND BEFORE I EVEN REALIZED I HAD NOT CANCELLED. THIS CERTAINLY CAUSED A DELAY FOR OTHERS. NO SAFETY PROBLEMS BUT THE ERROR WAS MINE. 2 POINTS ABOUT THIS THAT MAY BE OF BENEFIT TO OTHERS: PLTS WITH 40 PLUS YRS EXPERIENCE CAN BE MORE FORGETFUL THAN YOUNGER ONES. THINGS GET TOO ROUTINE. THUS, WE MUST BE CONTINUALLY ON GUARD TO FOLLOW PROCS. CTR OR APCH CTLRS SHOULD ALWAYS ADVISE PLTS OF CANCELLATION PROC WHEN THEY CLR THEM FROM THEIR FREQ TO CONTACT UNICOM FOR UNCTLED ARPTS.

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.