Commercial pilot of an small aircraft sel departs a high capacity airport on an IFR flight plan with...

Attributes
ACN	298370
Time
Date	199503
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	298370
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I fly in and out of dca frequently, however, last monday I needed to fly there on short notice. I filed an IFR flight plan from binghamton to washington. Upon reaching VFR conditions I attempted to cancel IFR and proceed VFR to the airport. ATC suggested this was not necessary and to continue on the IFR flight plan for a visual approach. After 30 mins on the ground I called clearance for my IFR back to binghamton. After takeoff, I realized that due to my short notice departure, I had never called for a reservation. I intended to depart dca VFR and pick up IFR in the air, but never did. I do believe there is an easy solution, however, if the reservation system is so important at these high capacity airports, mandate the recording of the reservation number in the remarks section of the IFR flight plan. This will provide a checks and balance system for this type of occurrence. FSS will not file an IFR plan to or from the high capacity airports without knowing if you have received a reservation and it will remind the pilot, at that point, the importance of a reservation, particularly to those pilots that do not fly in and out of these airports regularly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMERCIAL PLT OF AN SMA SEL DEPARTS A HIGH CAPACITY ARPT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN WITHOUT CONFIRMATION OF A 'RESERVATION.'

Narrative: I FLY IN AND OUT OF DCA FREQUENTLY, HOWEVER, LAST MONDAY I NEEDED TO FLY THERE ON SHORT NOTICE. I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM BINGHAMTON TO WASHINGTON. UPON REACHING VFR CONDITIONS I ATTEMPTED TO CANCEL IFR AND PROCEED VFR TO THE ARPT. ATC SUGGESTED THIS WAS NOT NECESSARY AND TO CONTINUE ON THE IFR FLT PLAN FOR A VISUAL APCH. AFTER 30 MINS ON THE GND I CALLED CLRNC FOR MY IFR BACK TO BINGHAMTON. AFTER TKOF, I REALIZED THAT DUE TO MY SHORT NOTICE DEP, I HAD NEVER CALLED FOR A RESERVATION. I INTENDED TO DEPART DCA VFR AND PICK UP IFR IN THE AIR, BUT NEVER DID. I DO BELIEVE THERE IS AN EASY SOLUTION, HOWEVER, IF THE RESERVATION SYS IS SO IMPORTANT AT THESE HIGH CAPACITY ARPTS, MANDATE THE RECORDING OF THE RESERVATION NUMBER IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE IFR FLT PLAN. THIS WILL PROVIDE A CHKS AND BAL SYS FOR THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE. FSS WILL NOT FILE AN IFR PLAN TO OR FROM THE HIGH CAPACITY ARPTS WITHOUT KNOWING IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED A RESERVATION AND IT WILL REMIND THE PLT, AT THAT POINT, THE IMPORTANCE OF A RESERVATION, PARTICULARLY TO THOSE PLTS THAT DO NOT FLY IN AND OUT OF THESE ARPTS REGULARLY.

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.

Commercial pilot of an small aircraft sel departs a high capacity airport on an IFR flight plan without confirmation of a 'reservation.'