Commuter light transport neglects to close IFR flight plan after landing at non tower airport.

Attributes
ACN	245097
Time
Date	199306
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mhk
State Reference	KS
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : parked landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14700 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	245097
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
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:

After landing at mhk after tower closed, we failed to cancel the IFR flight plan. There were several tornadoes 4-5 mi north of the airport. We became distracted watching them and trying to figure out where to seek shelter if they moved in our direction. After 10 mins on the ground we decided that a safe takeoff was possible so we departed the airport VFR and called center to pick up our IFR flight plan. It was at this time we realized we had failed to cancel IFR from our previous leg. Approximately 15 mins had passed since our landing and subsequent contact with center. I don't know if there is any solution to this problem other than having center remind you to cancel IFR when on the ground. Usually they do this but not always and not in this case.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT NEGLECTS TO CLOSE IFR FLT PLAN AFTER LNDG AT NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AT MHK AFTER TWR CLOSED, WE FAILED TO CANCEL THE IFR FLT PLAN. THERE WERE SEVERAL TORNADOES 4-5 MI N OF THE ARPT. WE BECAME DISTRACTED WATCHING THEM AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO SEEK SHELTER IF THEY MOVED IN OUR DIRECTION. AFTER 10 MINS ON THE GND WE DECIDED THAT A SAFE TKOF WAS POSSIBLE SO WE DEPARTED THE ARPT VFR AND CALLED CTR TO PICK UP OUR IFR FLT PLAN. IT WAS AT THIS TIME WE REALIZED WE HAD FAILED TO CANCEL IFR FROM OUR PREVIOUS LEG. APPROX 15 MINS HAD PASSED SINCE OUR LNDG AND SUBSEQUENT CONTACT WITH CTR. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY SOLUTION TO THIS PROB OTHER THAN HAVING CTR REMIND YOU TO CANCEL IFR WHEN ON THE GND. USUALLY THEY DO THIS BUT NOT ALWAYS AND NOT IN THIS CASE.

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.