Pilot of private small aircraft failed to open international flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	268423
Time
Date	199404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cyyj
State Reference	BC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : cyvr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4700 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	268423
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
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:

I was flying from eastsound, wa, my home base, to sydney, british columbia and the airport of entry for victoria. Eastsound is on an island in the san juan group of islands, and the distance to sydney is about 15 mi. I had filed a VFR flight plan by phone with seattle flight service, but failed to activate the flight plan by radio on takeoff from eastsound. I proceeded to sydney and landed without incident, but because I had not activated my flight plan, I was in violation of the applicable regulations. The canadian auths seemed to understand and, as far as I know, did not press the issue. I had telephoned canadian customs prior to leaving for the airport so they had their required notice. Obviously I should have called seattle on taking off. However the visibility and ceilings were marginal VFR and my immediate preoccupation was to contact vancouver approach as soon as I was airborne to get radar coverage into sydney. In my haste to do so, I forgot about activating my flight plan. Eastsound is so close to both the canadian-united states border, and to vancouver, that the airspace over eastsound has been ceded by seattle center to vancouver. Sydney is so close that I can see the runway lights from my mountain top home on a clear night. All of this made me complacent and careless.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PVT SMA FAILED TO OPEN INTL FLT PLAN.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM EASTSOUND, WA, MY HOME BASE, TO SYDNEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA AND THE ARPT OF ENTRY FOR VICTORIA. EASTSOUND IS ON AN ISLAND IN THE SAN JUAN GROUP OF ISLANDS, AND THE DISTANCE TO SYDNEY IS ABOUT 15 MI. I HAD FILED A VFR FLT PLAN BY PHONE WITH SEATTLE FLT SVC, BUT FAILED TO ACTIVATE THE FLT PLAN BY RADIO ON TKOF FROM EASTSOUND. I PROCEEDED TO SYDNEY AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT BECAUSE I HAD NOT ACTIVATED MY FLT PLAN, I WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE APPLICABLE REGS. THE CANADIAN AUTHS SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND AND, AS FAR AS I KNOW, DID NOT PRESS THE ISSUE. I HAD TELEPHONED CANADIAN CUSTOMS PRIOR TO LEAVING FOR THE ARPT SO THEY HAD THEIR REQUIRED NOTICE. OBVIOUSLY I SHOULD HAVE CALLED SEATTLE ON TAKING OFF. HOWEVER THE VISIBILITY AND CEILINGS WERE MARGINAL VFR AND MY IMMEDIATE PREOCCUPATION WAS TO CONTACT VANCOUVER APCH AS SOON AS I WAS AIRBORNE TO GET RADAR COVERAGE INTO SYDNEY. IN MY HASTE TO DO SO, I FORGOT ABOUT ACTIVATING MY FLT PLAN. EASTSOUND IS SO CLOSE TO BOTH THE CANADIAN-UNITED STATES BORDER, AND TO VANCOUVER, THAT THE AIRSPACE OVER EASTSOUND HAS BEEN CEDED BY SEATTLE CTR TO VANCOUVER. SYDNEY IS SO CLOSE THAT I CAN SEE THE RWY LIGHTS FROM MY MOUNTAIN TOP HOME ON A CLR NIGHT. ALL OF THIS MADE ME COMPLACENT AND CARELESS.

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.