<< >> NASA ASRS Report 759055, October 2007

A student pilot and instructor were notified on arrival at their home base that a search effort was begun because they were overdue; but the student had cancelled the flight plan with FSS earlier.

Attributes
ACN	759055
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9600 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	759055
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	759359
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Cabin Crew Human Performance ATC Facility
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

My student filed a VFR flight plan with FSS via duats from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2. Flight plan was activated at XA54Z and amended at about XA60Z to update ETA at ZZZ2 at XC60Z. After landing at ZZZ2 my student called the automated FSS station and closed our VFR flight plan at XD05Z. I was not on the telephone call; but heard my student's end of the conversation. Upon our return and arrival at the airplane's home base we were notified by ZZZ1 tower controller that a search and rescue for our aircraft had been initiated by FSS and that we were considered overdue. Apparently FSS never entered our flight plan cancellation that my student requested via telephone into their system and the local sheriff had begun a search for our aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 759359: when arriving at my destination and after parking at ZZZ2; I closed my flight plan through FSS using my mobile phone with my flight instructor as a witness.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A STUDENT PLT AND INSTRUCTOR WERE NOTIFIED ON ARR AT THEIR HOME BASE THAT A SEARCH EFFORT WAS BEGUN BECAUSE THEY WERE OVERDUE; BUT THE STUDENT HAD CANCELLED THE FLT PLAN WITH FSS EARLIER.

Narrative: MY STUDENT FILED A VFR FLT PLAN WITH FSS VIA DUATS FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2. FLT PLAN WAS ACTIVATED AT XA54Z AND AMENDED AT ABOUT XA60Z TO UPDATE ETA AT ZZZ2 AT XC60Z. AFTER LNDG AT ZZZ2 MY STUDENT CALLED THE AUTOMATED FSS STATION AND CLOSED OUR VFR FLT PLAN AT XD05Z. I WAS NOT ON THE TELEPHONE CALL; BUT HEARD MY STUDENT'S END OF THE CONVERSATION. UPON OUR RETURN AND ARR AT THE AIRPLANE'S HOME BASE WE WERE NOTIFIED BY ZZZ1 TWR CTLR THAT A SEARCH AND RESCUE FOR OUR ACFT HAD BEEN INITIATED BY FSS AND THAT WE WERE CONSIDERED OVERDUE. APPARENTLY FSS NEVER ENTERED OUR FLT PLAN CANCELLATION THAT MY STUDENT REQUESTED VIA TELEPHONE INTO THEIR SYS AND THE LCL SHERIFF HAD BEGUN A SEARCH FOR OUR ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 759359: WHEN ARRIVING AT MY DEST AND AFTER PARKING AT ZZZ2; I CLOSED MY FLT PLAN THROUGH FSS USING MY MOBILE PHONE WITH MY FLT INSTRUCTOR AS A WITNESS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.