Reporter forgot to close his VFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	242054
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : l17
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 31 flight time total : 255 flight time type : 236
ASRS Report	242054
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Operator opened VFR flight plan for a 2 1/2 hour flight from lodi airport, ca, to santa barbara, ca. En route operator learned of IFR conditions at destination airport and diverted to taft airport for landing. While at taft, operator experienced aircraft mechanical problems thereby diverting his attention and causing delay in closing flight plan for 2 hours. Later operator departed taft airport and contacted bakersfield FSS to close his flight plan and was informed by rancho murieta FSS that a search may have commenced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR FORGOT TO CLOSE HIS VFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: OPERATOR OPENED VFR FLT PLAN FOR A 2 1/2 HR FLT FROM LODI ARPT, CA, TO SANTA BARBARA, CA. ENRTE OPERATOR LEARNED OF IFR CONDITIONS AT DEST ARPT AND DIVERTED TO TAFT ARPT FOR LNDG. WHILE AT TAFT, OPERATOR EXPERIENCED ACFT MECHANICAL PROBS THEREBY DIVERTING HIS ATTN AND CAUSING DELAY IN CLOSING FLT PLAN FOR 2 HRS. LATER OPERATOR DEPARTED TAFT ARPT AND CONTACTED BAKERSFIELD FSS TO CLOSE HIS FLT PLAN AND WAS INFORMED BY RANCHO MURIETA FSS THAT A SEARCH MAY HAVE COMMENCED.

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.