Private pilots on practice flight failed to close VFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	577243
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mld.airport
State Reference	ID
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27.1 flight time total : 1301
ASRS Report	577243
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 23.6 flight time total : 92.3
ASRS Report	577241
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other
Independent Detector	other other : person 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was on a training cross country flight with another private pilot. I was flying under the hood (simulated instrument), while the other pilot was acting as safety pilot. The problem I am reporting is that we forgot to close our VFR flight plan upon arriving at malad city airport. We stopped there long enough to get fuel and use the restroom. Upon our departure and opening of our new flight plan, boise radio informed us that we had not closed our previous flight plan. I feel that some of the causes to this were: being unfamiliar with the area. We struggled to find the small malad city airport which took up some time that we hadn't planned on. We also did not begin the descent soon enough which I feel also contributed to not finding the airport. I feel that these are the 2 biggest factors which led to us not closing our flight plan. Some things that I have learned from this re to do a more thorough plan for the flight. We could have used the malad VOR to find the airport by knowing on what radial and distance from the VOR the airport was located. I will also plan a more accurate descent from now on as well. I also feel that adding to the checklist for pre-landing a reminder to close the flight plan will be a very valuable tool in making sure this does not happen again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLTS ON PRACTICE FLT FAILED TO CLOSE VFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: I WAS ON A TRAINING XCOUNTRY FLT WITH ANOTHER PVT PLT. I WAS FLYING UNDER THE HOOD (SIMULATED INST), WHILE THE OTHER PLT WAS ACTING AS SAFETY PLT. THE PROB I AM RPTING IS THAT WE FORGOT TO CLOSE OUR VFR FLT PLAN UPON ARRIVING AT MALAD CITY ARPT. WE STOPPED THERE LONG ENOUGH TO GET FUEL AND USE THE RESTROOM. UPON OUR DEP AND OPENING OF OUR NEW FLT PLAN, BOISE RADIO INFORMED US THAT WE HAD NOT CLOSED OUR PREVIOUS FLT PLAN. I FEEL THAT SOME OF THE CAUSES TO THIS WERE: BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. WE STRUGGLED TO FIND THE SMALL MALAD CITY ARPT WHICH TOOK UP SOME TIME THAT WE HADN'T PLANNED ON. WE ALSO DID NOT BEGIN THE DSCNT SOON ENOUGH WHICH I FEEL ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO NOT FINDING THE ARPT. I FEEL THAT THESE ARE THE 2 BIGGEST FACTORS WHICH LED TO US NOT CLOSING OUR FLT PLAN. SOME THINGS THAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS RE TO DO A MORE THOROUGH PLAN FOR THE FLT. WE COULD HAVE USED THE MALAD VOR TO FIND THE ARPT BY KNOWING ON WHAT RADIAL AND DISTANCE FROM THE VOR THE ARPT WAS LOCATED. I WILL ALSO PLAN A MORE ACCURATE DSCNT FROM NOW ON AS WELL. I ALSO FEEL THAT ADDING TO THE CHKLIST FOR PRE-LNDG A REMINDER TO CLOSE THE FLT PLAN WILL BE A VERY VALUABLE TOOL IN MAKING SURE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.