A low time C182RG pilot forgot to close his VFR flight plan after landing at dyt.

Attributes
ACN	573976
Time
Date	200302
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 225 flight time type : 16
ASRS Report	573976
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
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:

I was on a VFR flight plan from stc-dyt. It was a clear night with no problems. The approach into duluth sky harbor was by the book. The other pilot and I got distracted in the descent, and approach legs, because the airport is on an island. There is water at both ends of the runway. All I concentrated on was to land the aircraft safely, because we had passenger on board. In all the time I took to focus on the landing, we forgot about the VFR flight plan we filed. About 2 hours after landing, an FAA employee had got a hold of me to let me know that no one knew where my plane was. He said the police had been out to the airport, but they did not see my aircraft. I have learned a very valuable lesson from this, and will do my best not to do it again. In all my flight experience, I have never forgotten to close a flight plan.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME C182RG PLT FORGOT TO CLOSE HIS VFR FLT PLAN AFTER LNDG AT DYT.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN FROM STC-DYT. IT WAS A CLR NIGHT WITH NO PROBS. THE APCH INTO DULUTH SKY HARBOR WAS BY THE BOOK. THE OTHER PLT AND I GOT DISTRACTED IN THE DSCNT, AND APCH LEGS, BECAUSE THE ARPT IS ON AN ISLAND. THERE IS WATER AT BOTH ENDS OF THE RWY. ALL I CONCENTRATED ON WAS TO LAND THE ACFT SAFELY, BECAUSE WE HAD PAX ON BOARD. IN ALL THE TIME I TOOK TO FOCUS ON THE LNDG, WE FORGOT ABOUT THE VFR FLT PLAN WE FILED. ABOUT 2 HRS AFTER LNDG, AN FAA EMPLOYEE HAD GOT A HOLD OF ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT NO ONE KNEW WHERE MY PLANE WAS. HE SAID THE POLICE HAD BEEN OUT TO THE ARPT, BUT THEY DID NOT SEE MY ACFT. I HAVE LEARNED A VERY VALUABLE LESSON FROM THIS, AND WILL DO MY BEST NOT TO DO IT AGAIN. IN ALL MY FLT EXPERIENCE, I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN TO CLOSE A FLT PLAN.

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.