Private instrument rated pilot of a commander 114 failed to establish contact with ATC for an intern...

Attributes
ACN	481880
Time
Date	200008
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fxe.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Commander 114
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : relief pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 270 flight time type : 4
ASRS Report	481880
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We arrived at the bimini island airport for our flight back to the united states. We attempted to contact united states customs on the airport pay phone only to find that the pay phone did not work. Bahamian customs was nice enough to contact united states customs in fort lauderdale (fxe). Customs informed us that they closed at XA00 local time and that they had 7 arrs due in at XB30 local. I decided to give my friend, an IFR student, a taste of IFR flight. Since we were running short on time, we would file in the air. My friend, who owned the airplane, performed the takeoff while I attempted to contact miami radio. Unable to establish contact with the FSS, I advised my friend to orbit bimini until I could contact FSS and activate the flight plan. My friend said he did not want to wait and began flying to fxe. I immediately began attempting to contact miami radio on a new frequency and was able to file the flight plan. Miami radio advised me that we were on file and to contact ZMA, and a frequency for ZMA. ZMA advised me that they did not have my plan yet. A few mins later, the other airplane in our party, who had filed just before me, received their clearance. With still no clearance, I was handed off to another controller who handed me off again before I received my clearance. I estimate that I was 30-40 mi southeast of fxe when I received my clearance. As we were clearing customs, the agent said that the approach facility wanted us to know that we should 'get that code earlier next time.' I allowed myself to be rushed to get to fxe before customs closed for the night and failed to keep myself situationally aware. Also, I feel that as a new IFR pilot, I bit off more than I could chew by attempting an international flight and by showing my friend an IFR flight while not being the primary pilot. In the future, I will not file IFR unless I am the primary pilot. I also will not let myself get so rushed, as well as being more situationally aware, and more assertive to people with regard to proper procedures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT INST RATED PLT OF A COMMANDER 114 FAILED TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ATC FOR AN INTL FLT PLAN CLRNC UNTIL WITHIN 30 MI OF THE UNITED STATES DEST DUE TO DEPARTING PRIOR TO RECEIVING FLT PLAN CLRNC.

Narrative: WE ARRIVED AT THE BIMINI ISLAND ARPT FOR OUR FLT BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT UNITED STATES CUSTOMS ON THE ARPT PAY PHONE ONLY TO FIND THAT THE PAY PHONE DID NOT WORK. BAHAMIAN CUSTOMS WAS NICE ENOUGH TO CONTACT UNITED STATES CUSTOMS IN FORT LAUDERDALE (FXE). CUSTOMS INFORMED US THAT THEY CLOSED AT XA00 LCL TIME AND THAT THEY HAD 7 ARRS DUE IN AT XB30 LCL. I DECIDED TO GIVE MY FRIEND, AN IFR STUDENT, A TASTE OF IFR FLT. SINCE WE WERE RUNNING SHORT ON TIME, WE WOULD FILE IN THE AIR. MY FRIEND, WHO OWNED THE AIRPLANE, PERFORMED THE TKOF WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT MIAMI RADIO. UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE FSS, I ADVISED MY FRIEND TO ORBIT BIMINI UNTIL I COULD CONTACT FSS AND ACTIVATE THE FLT PLAN. MY FRIEND SAID HE DID NOT WANT TO WAIT AND BEGAN FLYING TO FXE. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT MIAMI RADIO ON A NEW FREQ AND WAS ABLE TO FILE THE FLT PLAN. MIAMI RADIO ADVISED ME THAT WE WERE ON FILE AND TO CONTACT ZMA, AND A FREQ FOR ZMA. ZMA ADVISED ME THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE MY PLAN YET. A FEW MINS LATER, THE OTHER AIRPLANE IN OUR PARTY, WHO HAD FILED JUST BEFORE ME, RECEIVED THEIR CLRNC. WITH STILL NO CLRNC, I WAS HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR WHO HANDED ME OFF AGAIN BEFORE I RECEIVED MY CLRNC. I ESTIMATE THAT I WAS 30-40 MI SE OF FXE WHEN I RECEIVED MY CLRNC. AS WE WERE CLRING CUSTOMS, THE AGENT SAID THAT THE APCH FACILITY WANTED US TO KNOW THAT WE SHOULD 'GET THAT CODE EARLIER NEXT TIME.' I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE RUSHED TO GET TO FXE BEFORE CUSTOMS CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT AND FAILED TO KEEP MYSELF SITUATIONALLY AWARE. ALSO, I FEEL THAT AS A NEW IFR PLT, I BIT OFF MORE THAN I COULD CHEW BY ATTEMPTING AN INTL FLT AND BY SHOWING MY FRIEND AN IFR FLT WHILE NOT BEING THE PRIMARY PLT. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT FILE IFR UNLESS I AM THE PRIMARY PLT. I ALSO WILL NOT LET MYSELF GET SO RUSHED, AS WELL AS BEING MORE SITUATIONALLY AWARE, AND MORE ASSERTIVE TO PEOPLE WITH REGARD TO PROPER PROCS.

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.

Private instrument rated pilot of a commander 114 failed to establish contact with ATC for an international flight plan clearance until within 30 mi of the united states destination due to departing prior to receiving flight plan clearance.