Failing to Close a VFR Flight Plan

[UndauntedFlyer]

Clearly 14CFR 91.153 says that a person must close a VFR flight plan if they file one. Therefore. if they don't they must be in violation of that regulation and FAA certificate action is possible.

Has anyone every heard of a person receiving a violation for failing to close a VFR flight plan, or an IFR flight plan?

Sec. 91.153

VFR flight plan

(b) Cancellation. When a flight plan has been activated, the pilot in command, upon canceling or completing the flight under the flight plan, shall notify an FAA Flight Service Station or ATC facility.

 

[brokeflyer]

Clearly 14CFR 91.153 says that a person must close a VFR flight plan if they file one. Therefore. if they don't they must be in violation of that regulation and FAA certificate action is possible.

Has anyone every heard of a person receiving a violation for failing to close a VFR flight plan, or an IFR flight plan?

Sec. 91.153

VFR flight plan

(b) Cancellation. When a flight plan has been activated, the pilot in command, upon canceling or completing the flight under the flight plan, shall notify an FAA Flight Service Station or ATC facility.

that depends.....how long ago did you do this?

 

[MikeSF340]

I doubt they would try to enforce some kind of certificate action. Most likely they will be able to call you (your phone number is on the flight plan) or someone at your destination airport. I guess if they actually launched the search and rescue crew they would be pretty pissed unless you were actually in trouble. I would think the would probably try to fine you to recoup the cost of the search.

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

that depends.....how long ago did you do this?

Fortunately I have never forgotten to close a FP.

I was telling a student that certificate action was possible if he forgot to close a FP and some of the young CFI's challenged my opinion. I think they still are of the belief that FAA inspectors are good guys and the FSDO is a nice place. How wrong they are; so I am searching for documentation of someone's life being ruined with a violation failing to close a VFR FP. Her or she must be out there.

 

[JAFI]

Here I thought their life was ruined when they got into aviation.....:laugh:


There is a data base on violations some where on the FAA.gov web site. I have never heard of some one getting a violation for failure to close a flight plan. Normally a FSDO has enough bigger violations to process.

You could just take them to the FSDO and show them the pile of bleached pilot bones and the mountain of shreaded certificates to put the fear into a student.

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

Here I thought their life was ruined when they got into aviation.....:laugh:


You could just take them to the FSDO and show them the pile of bleached pilot bones and the mountain of shreaded certificates to put the fear into a student.

Great idea! Thanks..

 

[JAFI]

I also think the pilot could be held for the cost of the search if he did not close the flight plan. I know before they call out the search party, phone calls are made to ensure the aircraft is back in the hangar and the home phone number on the flight plan is called.

 

[Waldom]

Exactly forty years ago, I neglected to close a VFR flight plan. Within an hour of my ETA, a (then) F.A.A. flight service station specialist called the destination airport to see if the airplane had arrived. As it happened, I was the one who took the call and the situation was resolved without anything but a telephonic search initiated.

I think the F.S.S. specialist considered my embarrassed apology an adequate mea culpa. In any event, I never heard anything more about it.

I don't know if employees of the lowest bidder that currently provides the old F.S.S. function are required to report the failure to close a flight plan to the F.A.A.

There are few enough V.F.R. flight plans filed as it is. My guess is that there would be very few filed at all if the Feds aggressively pursued enforcement action on those pilots that forget to close one.

If a search gets to the point of airborne assets being deployed for no reason, I do think the pilot should be held responsable for the cost.

 

[say again]

I did forget early in my flying career (11 years ago), and basically the same experience as above except I got the call directly. Phone call was as far as it got. No violations. Same as with an IFR, a CA I flew did forget and he also got a call. Couldn't reach ATC on ground, we both got distracted and it just slipped from our minds. No violations on that one either, just a call. He did get a talking to in regards to the importance of canceling in a timely manner. ie initiate a search, other traffic coming in, etc.

 

[IBNAV8R]

They probably COULD violate you but to what end? Nobody willfully forgets. The effect would be that people would just forgo VFR flight plans. IIRC from my SAR days, it took an average of 7 days to find a missing aircraft that did NOT file a VFR flight plan compared to 24 hours for those that did. (4 hours for IFR/ATC flight following)

 

[rumrnr78]

Fortunately I have never forgotten to close a FP.

I was telling a student that certificate action was possible if he forgot to close a FP and some of the young CFI's challenged my opinion. I think they still are of the belief that FAA inspectors are good guys and the FSDO is a nice place. How wrong they are; so I am searching for documentation of someone's life being ruined with a violation failing to close a VFR FP. Her or she must be out there.

Yes, I forgot to cancel my VFR flight plan back in the mid 90's. My friend (also listed as contact) was called and confirmed I was at my destination.

No violation but I am always reminded of the favour from my friend! And, I do suffer the occasional ribbing over beers many years hence!

 

[Tired Soul]

some of the young CFI's challenged my opinion

LOL... don't you hate it when that happens?

I think (personal opinion) that they could if they really wanted to.
But before a FAA inspector can continue with a violation attempt they need to run it past legal. If it has too little chance to "stick" they'll recommend against it.