Narrative:

On may/sun/93 I flew to toronto again to return 2 passenger. Before departing toronto, I called united states customs to confirm that I expected to arrive at syracuse around XA15. Agent said that he may be busy, but that he would get to me as soon as he could after I arrived. I thanked him, and departed on my IFR flight plan to syracuse alone. At syracuse, the primary runway is 10/28. All GA is based south of runway 10/28, and GA aircraft rarely taxi north of it. Customs parking, however, is north of runway 10/28, as the customs offices are located in the air carrier terminal building. I landed on runway 28, and during rollout syracuse ground control called 'turn left next taxiway, remain this frequency, taxi to the ramp.' I had landed on runway 28 literally hundreds of times, and this was a typical instruction from ground control, because all GA aircraft (except those going to customs) need to taxi to an FBO on the south side. I had no passenger who may have reminded me that we needed to check in at customs. I simply fell into my usual habit of complying with ground control's instructions and taxied to my home FBO. Ground control did not know I needed to check in at customs. I simply forgot, and drove home. On may/mon/93 I received a phone call from agent of united states customs at syracuse, who informed me of my violation. I was shocked at my mistake, and I apologized for it. Suggestion: in the process of closing the IFR flight plan, can the control tower pass on to ground control the fact that the flight originated in canada, and that the airplane should taxi to customs?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT FORGOT TO CLR CUSTOMS ON ARR IN SYR FROM CANADA.

Narrative: ON MAY/SUN/93 I FLEW TO TORONTO AGAIN TO RETURN 2 PAX. BEFORE DEPARTING TORONTO, I CALLED UNITED STATES CUSTOMS TO CONFIRM THAT I EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AT SYRACUSE AROUND XA15. AGENT SAID THAT HE MAY BE BUSY, BUT THAT HE WOULD GET TO ME AS SOON AS HE COULD AFTER I ARRIVED. I THANKED HIM, AND DEPARTED ON MY IFR FLT PLAN TO SYRACUSE ALONE. AT SYRACUSE, THE PRIMARY RWY IS 10/28. ALL GA IS BASED S OF RWY 10/28, AND GA ACFT RARELY TAXI N OF IT. CUSTOMS PARKING, HOWEVER, IS N OF RWY 10/28, AS THE CUSTOMS OFFICES ARE LOCATED IN THE ACR TERMINAL BUILDING. I LANDED ON RWY 28, AND DURING ROLLOUT SYRACUSE GND CTL CALLED 'TURN L NEXT TXWY, REMAIN THIS FREQ, TAXI TO THE RAMP.' I HAD LANDED ON RWY 28 LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF TIMES, AND THIS WAS A TYPICAL INSTRUCTION FROM GND CTL, BECAUSE ALL GA ACFT (EXCEPT THOSE GOING TO CUSTOMS) NEED TO TAXI TO AN FBO ON THE S SIDE. I HAD NO PAX WHO MAY HAVE REMINDED ME THAT WE NEEDED TO CHK IN AT CUSTOMS. I SIMPLY FELL INTO MY USUAL HABIT OF COMPLYING WITH GND CTL'S INSTRUCTIONS AND TAXIED TO MY HOME FBO. GND CTL DID NOT KNOW I NEEDED TO CHK IN AT CUSTOMS. I SIMPLY FORGOT, AND DROVE HOME. ON MAY/MON/93 I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM AGENT OF UNITED STATES CUSTOMS AT SYRACUSE, WHO INFORMED ME OF MY VIOLATION. I WAS SHOCKED AT MY MISTAKE, AND I APOLOGIZED FOR IT. SUGGESTION: IN THE PROCESS OF CLOSING THE IFR FLT PLAN, CAN THE CTL TWR PASS ON TO GND CTL THE FACT THAT THE FLT ORIGINATED IN CANADA, AND THAT THE AIRPLANE SHOULD TAXI TO CUSTOMS?

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.