"Ahhhhh $h1t" - ATC when IFR pilot doesn't close the flight plan on the ground
Under IFR we have the luxury of having our IFR flight plan opened and closed by ATC. This is however not always the case when landing at an uncontrolled field where ATC cannot witness you landing and therefore confirm you're alive.
Uncontrolled Airports
At uncontrolled fields, the pilots must choose one of two options, which will be offered by ATC:
In the air while executing the approach. This can be done if you're under VMC and can therefore fly VFR. If you can't, you clearly cannot.
On the ground. In this case, it's the pilot's responsibility to report their cancellation (once they're safely on the ground) by various methods, like reaching ATC via radio, calling a phone number, or advising FSS via phone. The preferred method will be evident by looking at your airport frequency page on Garmin Pilot or Foreflight. ATC may even give you a phone number to call or a frequency to try from the ground.
Canceling IFR on the ground must be an expeditious process so that ATC can release the airspace. At uncontrolled fields, only one IFR operation may occur at any one time. That means that only one airplane can depart or land at a time. So if you wish to depart under IFR and there's another airplane 20 NM out executing an approach, you cannot be released and have to wait on the ground. If that airplane forgets to cancel, you will not be released.
Story-Time
I was at Statesboro, GA with one of my students, Tom. Upon ready for departure, we called JAX Center via phone to request our clearance. They advised us that there was a Med Evan King Air on approach who had not cancelled IFR and therefore we could not be released. Note, we were in VMC ("severely clear"), and could not see any airplane on approach. After several minutes we called again, and ATC reported that the aircraft still had not cancelled. Very comically, Tom looked over his shoulder to note a King Air happily parked in front of the FBO. Two uniformed crew members were securing the aircraft. We advised ATC that we could see them, but that visual observation from another aircraft was not sufficient to cancel IFR. Luckily, the King Air crew boarded the airplane shortly after, and we could finally reach them on CTAF to address the issue. More problems followed, but that's a story for another time.
What happens if you forget to close IFR?
I had to ask my friend and ATC controller Mike what happens, cause all I can think of is... fury and wrath. Just that. Turns out however that ATC has several ways to verify you're alive before sending Search and Rescue and fining you for false alarm.
Document 7110.65 10-3-1 specifies the procedures required for overdue aircraft. Clearly complex, serious, and expeditious. This is called "ALNOT" (Alert Notice), where ATC alerting ARTCC ("Center") that an aircraft is overdue and that search and rescue (SAR) procedures should be initiated.
However, there are some tasks that can be done by ATC before (SAR) is dispatched. Note... this is them being nice...
Police / Fire Department: ATC can call local police or fire departments send a unit to the airport and look for you or your aircraft.
FBO: the FBO can confirm your airplane has landed and is securely parked.
Relay through VFR Traffic: ATC can ask a nearby aircraft to transmit on CTAF and try to get a hold of you on the local advisory frequency.
Contact you directly on CTAF: if the ATC facility is close enough to your field, ATC can try to use their backup portable radios to transmit on CTAF and get a hold of you.
Registration Look-up: ATC can lookup the owner of the aircraft via the tail number (published on FAA registration website). Even if the owner is not the PIC, they may know how to reach the pilot. If the airplane belongs to a flight School, they can easily find the instructor/student/renter.
Flight Service Station: OK - this one is IMPORTANT. ATC can try to reach FSS in order to find your contact information. That's right. When you file an IFR flight plan with FSS, your contact information stays with FSS. It is NOT relayed to ATC. I know right!! I was surprised as well. This is not always doable because FSS may not be able to respond immediately. So what can you do? Well... you should (continue title below)
Add your number to the Remarks!
Remarks are rarely used in operational flights. When I fly with IFR students, I have them add approach requests and my name and title:
This way ATC can see that an IFR student filed for us and that I am the CFII and PIC on board (so I get in trouble if we do something wrong). I have all my students file for IFR from (almost) the very beginning, so we rarely fly under VFR during IFR training. I recommend adding your phone number to the supplemental remarks if you are flying somewhere untowered and know that you may not cancel in the air. People argue that you should not freely provide contact information - but it's available with FSS nonetheless. Remember that ATC is a professional friend, and therefore you should operate with them as such!
This article was reviewed for accuracy by an experienced controller at KSAV. Thank you, Mike!
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