Narrative:

I filed a VFR flight plan for my single engine piper comanche from decatur, al, to kalamazoo, mi. The flight departed VFR normally and about 20 mi south of louisville, ky, I was on top, VFR, with a solid undercast. About 20 mi north of the kentucky/indiana border, the sky cover became broken with building cumulus due to a developing line of thunderstorms. Being IFR rated, both pilot and airplane, I obtained an IFR flight plan from ZID by converting my VFR plan. I was cleared IFR to azo by ZID. However, I decided to land at columbus, in, and was cleared to the columbus, in, airport by ZID and handed off to the columbus, in, tower (a non federal tower) and landed XA00. At XA15, after the WX passed and had some food, we departed for kalamazoo, mi, VFR. I called FSS to obtain a WX briefing and to file a VFR flight plan and was advised by the FSS that a search and rescue had been initiated for us because I neglected to close my decatur/kalamazoo VFR flight plan. I assumed that because I had converted to an IFR plan and landed at a tower controled airport, that my plan was automatically closed. The FSS told me that FSS and ATC don't communicate and I should have closed my VFR plan personally and separately. After talking to other pilots later, I realized they also would have assumed the original VFR plan would automatically have been closed and would not have closed it separately. Furthermore, this discourages pilots from filing VFR flight plans. I feel ATC and FSS should communicate closer so these misunderstandings can be avoided. While on the ground at columbus, I called terra haute FSS on the phone to get a WX briefing. I told them I had come from decatur, al, and stopped due to WX. I did not close my plan as I assumed it had been closed. Terra haute FSS did not indicate they had been looking for me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL FAILED TO CLOSE VFR FLT PLAN RESULTING IN SEARCH AND RESCUE INITIATED.

Narrative: I FILED A VFR FLT PLAN FOR MY SINGLE ENG PIPER COMANCHE FROM DECATUR, AL, TO KALAMAZOO, MI. THE FLT DEPARTED VFR NORMALLY AND ABOUT 20 MI S OF LOUISVILLE, KY, I WAS ON TOP, VFR, WITH A SOLID UNDERCAST. ABOUT 20 MI N OF THE KENTUCKY/INDIANA BORDER, THE SKY COVER BECAME BROKEN WITH BUILDING CUMULUS DUE TO A DEVELOPING LINE OF TSTMS. BEING IFR RATED, BOTH PLT AND AIRPLANE, I OBTAINED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM ZID BY CONVERTING MY VFR PLAN. I WAS CLRED IFR TO AZO BY ZID. HOWEVER, I DECIDED TO LAND AT COLUMBUS, IN, AND WAS CLRED TO THE COLUMBUS, IN, ARPT BY ZID AND HANDED OFF TO THE COLUMBUS, IN, TWR (A NON FEDERAL TWR) AND LANDED XA00. AT XA15, AFTER THE WX PASSED AND HAD SOME FOOD, WE DEPARTED FOR KALAMAZOO, MI, VFR. I CALLED FSS TO OBTAIN A WX BRIEFING AND TO FILE A VFR FLT PLAN AND WAS ADVISED BY THE FSS THAT A SEARCH AND RESCUE HAD BEEN INITIATED FOR US BECAUSE I NEGLECTED TO CLOSE MY DECATUR/KALAMAZOO VFR FLT PLAN. I ASSUMED THAT BECAUSE I HAD CONVERTED TO AN IFR PLAN AND LANDED AT A TWR CTLED ARPT, THAT MY PLAN WAS AUTOMATICALLY CLOSED. THE FSS TOLD ME THAT FSS AND ATC DON'T COMMUNICATE AND I SHOULD HAVE CLOSED MY VFR PLAN PERSONALLY AND SEPARATELY. AFTER TALKING TO OTHER PLTS LATER, I REALIZED THEY ALSO WOULD HAVE ASSUMED THE ORIGINAL VFR PLAN WOULD AUTOMATICALLY HAVE BEEN CLOSED AND WOULD NOT HAVE CLOSED IT SEPARATELY. FURTHERMORE, THIS DISCOURAGES PLTS FROM FILING VFR FLT PLANS. I FEEL ATC AND FSS SHOULD COMMUNICATE CLOSER SO THESE MISUNDERSTANDINGS CAN BE AVOIDED. WHILE ON THE GND AT COLUMBUS, I CALLED TERRA HAUTE FSS ON THE PHONE TO GET A WX BRIEFING. I TOLD THEM I HAD COME FROM DECATUR, AL, AND STOPPED DUE TO WX. I DID NOT CLOSE MY PLAN AS I ASSUMED IT HAD BEEN CLOSED. TERRA HAUTE FSS DID NOT INDICATE THEY HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR ME.

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.