Narrative:

Used a commercial flight planning and computer WX system to initially plan an IFR flight. Later phoned the lansing, mi, FSS and requested a standard WX briefing and filed an IFR flight plan. This IFR plan was for a multiple airport round robin flight with low approachs. At the 7d2 airport, I contacted the dtw approach control for the clearance using the airport remote access system. I received only a partial clearance from troy to jackson. I requested the original route of radar vectors to lane intersection, then to flint airport and was given the clearance. After departure, I contacted the approach control and was surprised to find out that I would be vectored to jackson. This situation has happened before and leads me to believe there is a computer problem handling multiple legs and passing the sequential information from the FSS to ATC. The situation was further complicated by a grumpy controller, as I was in the clouds in a single IFR pilot capacity. I realize the center has many other responsibilities, but when you are in the clouds and the air is turbulent, every change is magnified. Since I was cleared only to flint, I requested one ILS low approach and returned to 7d2 VFR. After landing, I contacted the FSS to cancel the IFR flight plan and was given the ATC phone number so I could follow up the situation. The FSS showed the original IFR flight plan but somehow it never reached the ATC as submitted. I contacted the detroit approach control and requested a supervisor contact me when the situation could be reviewed. In the future, I will be happy to file in the reverse order if that will make it easier on all in the system. This situation could be dangerous if it catches someone totally by surprise in conjunction with heavy air traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 CONCERNED WITH FLT PLAN COORD AND HANDLING WITH D21 TRACON.

Narrative: USED A COMMERCIAL FLT PLANNING AND COMPUTER WX SYS TO INITIALLY PLAN AN IFR FLT. LATER PHONED THE LANSING, MI, FSS AND REQUESTED A STANDARD WX BRIEFING AND FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN. THIS IFR PLAN WAS FOR A MULTIPLE ARPT ROUND ROBIN FLT WITH LOW APCHS. AT THE 7D2 ARPT, I CONTACTED THE DTW APCH CTL FOR THE CLRNC USING THE ARPT REMOTE ACCESS SYS. I RECEIVED ONLY A PARTIAL CLRNC FROM TROY TO JACKSON. I REQUESTED THE ORIGINAL RTE OF RADAR VECTORS TO LANE INTXN, THEN TO FLINT ARPT AND WAS GIVEN THE CLRNC. AFTER DEP, I CONTACTED THE APCH CTL AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT I WOULD BE VECTORED TO JACKSON. THIS SIT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE IS A COMPUTER PROB HANDLING MULTIPLE LEGS AND PASSING THE SEQUENTIAL INFO FROM THE FSS TO ATC. THE SIT WAS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY A GRUMPY CTLR, AS I WAS IN THE CLOUDS IN A SINGLE IFR PLT CAPACITY. I REALIZE THE CTR HAS MANY OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT WHEN YOU ARE IN THE CLOUDS AND THE AIR IS TURBULENT, EVERY CHANGE IS MAGNIFIED. SINCE I WAS CLRED ONLY TO FLINT, I REQUESTED ONE ILS LOW APCH AND RETURNED TO 7D2 VFR. AFTER LNDG, I CONTACTED THE FSS TO CANCEL THE IFR FLT PLAN AND WAS GIVEN THE ATC PHONE NUMBER SO I COULD FOLLOW UP THE SIT. THE FSS SHOWED THE ORIGINAL IFR FLT PLAN BUT SOMEHOW IT NEVER REACHED THE ATC AS SUBMITTED. I CONTACTED THE DETROIT APCH CTL AND REQUESTED A SUPVR CONTACT ME WHEN THE SIT COULD BE REVIEWED. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE HAPPY TO FILE IN THE REVERSE ORDER IF THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER ON ALL IN THE SYS. THIS SIT COULD BE DANGEROUS IF IT CATCHES SOMEONE TOTALLY BY SURPRISE IN CONJUNCTION WITH HVY AIR TFC.

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.