Failure to File = NTSB report (eventually)?

[Jaybird180]

Over the time I have been reading NTSB reports the trend I see in the overwhelming majority is the language 'the pilot did not file a flight plan'. This is usually accompanied by the language 'the pilot did not receive a weather briefing' (in a reasonable time proximity prior to the accident flight).

I always file a flight plan, as I have no choice in my local area (thanks SFRA). I reason that the simple act of calling FSS requires me to pause, think, speak clearly and LISTEN may be a factor that dramatically tips the risk scale in my favor. I wonder if we can instill a culture of VFR pilots being in the habit of filing flight plans will this positively affect accident statistics. Discussion.

 

[Morne]

It is certainly one tool to make people stop and think.

Personally, I don't file VFR. If I am going a long ways I'll use flight following but that's about it.

Now getting a briefing is a whole other matter. I always call for a briefing, even if I also use DUATs. I have made the "no-go" decision while listening to the briefing.

I know lots of VFR pilots who never file. Heck, certain local instructors actively discourage students from filing.

 

[dell30rb]

I can't remember the last time I filed a VFR plan. I do get a telephone briefing if the weather is questionable (or for long flights) and I check TFR's before every flight regardless. Lots of times I just call and ask for an abbreviated briefing, TFR's and NOTAMS only.

I find the VFR flight plan to be generally annoying to use, because controllers don't have your VFR flight plan and can't do anything with it. I do utilize flight following frequently, however

 

[SkyHog]

I don't file them, because I have my family usually watching where I'm going anyway. They'll respond faster than the FSS if I don't arrive.

That, and FSS was such a pain to use for so long, I learned to avoid using them. Thanks LockMart!

 

[jtheune]

I don't file VFR flight plans but do file SFRA flight plans. If I'm going to some specific destination then I will give them that but often it's just to cruise around the local area and I'm not sure where I'll be going. The SFRA flight plans takes you to the edge of the sfra then they cut you loose. If I'm going a long distance then I'll get flight following. I always ask for TFRs along my route of flight so they know where I'm going and depending on the weather I might get more info but I already know the score from online briefings before I get to the airport.

 

[COFlyBoy]

I don't file VFR flight plans for short flights over populated areas.

But, I fly over the big rocks a fair amount, and I definitely file a flight plan for that. Flight following just doesn't work in the Rockies, and there are times when you can't get in touch with center or an FSS. I want someone to come looking for me.

 

[L.Adamson]

I don't file VFR flight plans for short flights over populated areas.

But, I fly over the big rocks a fair amount, and I definitely file a flight plan for that. Flight following just doesn't work in the Rockies, and there are times when you can't get in touch with center or an FSS. I want someone to come looking for me.

SPOT (satellite GPS tracker) has worked like a charm for the last three years. Nearly all of my flying has been over the Rocky Mtn. States. That and XM weather for continuous updates, has worked very well. BTW--- the Spots 911 function worked well too. Set off by accident, and a call within minutes.

 

[Mike5250]

I have filed vfr once.... Coming back from the bahamas to point of entry. IFR was going to send us a much less direct route over more water.

 

[Ted]

Keep in mind that the restrictions of instrument flight put you in what, in many cases, should be a safer position. Low-level flight right near the ground puts you closer to potential CFIT accidents just by proximity. I know around here if you are trying to fly VFR at night or when there are clouds around (but still legal VFR) you have lots of opportunities for CFIT. IFR fuel reserves (being higher than VFR) means that you should be less likely to run out of fuel.

I think most people don't file VFR flight plants simply because for many of them, there's not much of a benefit (I know I don't bother with it) and it's not a requirement. It's probably those people who are out on their own, flying at lower levels, and who may not have gotten an appropriate weather briefing, who end up being likely to have an incident.

 

[John Baker]

For a local flight just for getting up in the air and knocking the rust out of the cylinders, I simply use my blue weather card, the one with the hole in it. This being San Diego, the sky usually matches the rest of the card.

If I'm actually going someplace important, like a hamburger at French Valley or Borrego Springs, I will call FSS for weather. I will also call if the sky is not matching up with my blue weather card as nice as I would like it to.

I don't use flight following as much as I should on longer trips, but I usually check in with SOCAL and let them know I am in the air so that they can warn other more sensible pilots, I do this by making PIREPS from time to time.

I rarely file a flight plan mostly because I rarely have the time to go anyplace that is further out than my own back yard (the San Diego area). Now that I am retiring and foresee lots of free time coming up, it is highly likely I will be on a first name basis with FSS.

John

 

[Piloto]

With so many sources of high quality weather over the internet and TV there is no need to request weather from FSS over the phone. If you have XM/WX onboard you are better off than WX from a FSS. The only time I have seen WX reports from VOLMETs or Oceanic centers useful is when out of range of XM/WX and your plane is not Inmarsat equipped.

If you are TCAS and XM/WX equipped there is no need for VFR flight plan or even flight following. I found TCAS to be more accurate (specially offshore) than ATC.

José

 

[Fearless Tower]

I think you are confusing things....all NTSB reports will specify whether or not a flight plan was filed (it is a yes/no check on the form). I have only seen mention of whether or not the pilot obtained a briefing if the board felt that was a pertinent factor in the case.

The problem is that the media doesn't understand the info that the the board releases and makes it sound like it was a factor. Don't be confused by the idiots in the press.

As for me - Unless I am just going up at my local (tower controlled) airport for pattern work, I always get a weather briefing IFR or VFR. I rarely file a VFR flight plan.

 

[DavidWhite]

I still haven't figured out what a VFR flight plan does besides get you in trouble if you forget to close it. I either get FF, or file IFR

 

[Fearless Tower]

I still haven't figured out what a VFR flight plan does besides get you in trouble if you forget to close it. I either get FF, or file IFR

IF you go down over hostile or unpopulated terrain, it can make it considerably easier to find you. That is about all a VFR flight plan gets you (unless it is for the DC area).

 

[MadseasoN]

Had to vote 'usually'. If I'm staying near the city then I don't file. Cross country I always file.

 

[jtheune]

FF has the advantage of your talking to them most all the time. If you have a problem you don't have to figure out which freq to use to contact someone. They know roughly where you are and they can start the process of sending help right away rather then after someone decides your late and missing somewhere.

 

[Fearless Tower]

FF has the advantage of your talking to them most all the time. If you have a problem you don't have to figure out which freq to use to contact someone. They know roughly where you are and they can start the process of sending help right away rather then after someone decides your late and missing somewhere.

Good point - FF is much more useful as far as in-flight safety. A VFR flight plan does nothing to prevent an accident. It just helps the SAR folks find you if you disappear.

 

[geneseib]

Over the time I have been reading NTSB reports the trend I see in the overwhelming majority is the language 'the pilot did not file a flight plan'. This is usually accompanied by the language 'the pilot did not receive a weather briefing' (in a reasonable time proximity prior to the accident flight).

I usually do not file. I always check weather via DUATS.

 

[Ted]

Because of the nature of my flights, I end up filing for virtually every flight. However, whether or not I use the IFR flight plan typically will depend on weather and cost. If I file IFR going around NYC with all but a few routes, it's going to end up costing me an extra 20-30 minutes (or more) of flight time. In the planes I fly, that's an extra $100-$200. This adds up, so I will often opt to cancel IFR at a certain point and keep flight following. Obviously, if the weather is not permitting I won't do this.

I will also file IFR if the place I am going necessitates it (or is facilitated by it). Example: DC SFRA.

 

[onwards]

I never file, but I always ask for flight following (does this count as "filing in the air?")

As for not getting weather briefings... I don't know how they can say that. Maybe not get a FORMAL briefing. I always get the weather from multiple sources (AvW, FF, DUATS, calling the destination airport and so on) but often it isn't "registered" in a way that will subsequently tie it to me.

 

[Palmpilot]

I still haven't figured out what a VFR flight plan does besides get you in trouble if you forget to close it. I either get FF, or file IFR

The only "trouble" I've gotten in when I've forgotten to close a flight plan was getting a phone call. Embarrassing, but no big deal.

 

[dell30rb]

flight following does count, if you disappear while receiving flight following they will alert SAR

also they will know your destination and even if you disappear after terminating FF they'll have an idea of your route and can give SAR a clue as to where you might be.

 

[onwards]

flight following does count, if you disappear while receiving flight following they will alert SAR

also they will know your destination and even if you disappear after terminating FF they'll have an idea of your route and can give SAR a clue as to where you might be.

Ah. Well then. Pollmaster, please change my reply from "never" to "ever", cause I do file every single time via flight following.

 

[MadseasoN]

flight following does count, if you disappear while receiving flight following they will alert SAR

also they will know your destination and even if you disappear after terminating FF they'll have an idea of your route and can give SAR a clue as to where you might be.

I wouldn't depend on that. If they do send someone it might be days later.

Two stories:
1.
On FF I've been 'forgotten about' and left a controller's sector without changing frequencies. 45 minutes later I call up the local approach at my destination and they asked me where I got my transponder code from then told "they must've forgotten about you". IE - no handoff. Evidently I wasn't missed. I could've went down anywhere in between.

2.
As a student on solo cross country I was also on FF. The controller was extremely busy (Class B area). She gave me a changeover frequency but I missed the last number. When I could get a word in I asked for it again but she never answered. After some time I just went back to 1200. 30 minutes later I landed (NOT in Class B Area) and called the tower. Told them about what happened and they just said "dont worry about it, they were probably just too busy". Doubt they would come looking for me either.

Concerning FF I was told by several CFIs that "Its a voluntary system, on both sides". They aren't obligated to do anything for you.

 

[pericynthion]

Correlation is not causation.

I file a VFR flight plan when I'm going out a long way over the high desert and know I'll be outside of radar coverage for most of the flight.

 

[spinfire]

I have only filed a VFR flight plan once. I'd do it again if I was crossing inhospitable terrain outside of ATC radio/radar contact. But for most of my flights the hassle of filing a VFR flight plan, activating it, remembering to close it... it just doesn't add up.

I do always get a formal weather briefing whenever leaving the local area of the airport, but not on the phone. I use DUATS or Foreflight's brief feature (which uses DUATS and also records the briefing associated with your tail#). Personally I find it easier to absorb and process the information by reading it rather than through a phone call.

On XC trips to other airports I almost always use Flight Following. Nashua tower makes it easy since you can get a strip entered when you call Ground to taxi. As you taxi they'll give you your squawk code and after takeoff you'll just be told "contact Boston departure" who has all of your info in the computer. Most of the time I'll get handed off all the way to the destination. Obviously it is voluntary. Sometimes you do get dropped.

 

[murphey]

I view the statement "did not file a flight plan" to be reporting a fact and nothing else. The NTSB is chartered to investigate & report facts. The flight plan is a fact. It's unfortunate that the non-aviation public views the irrelevant fact as an issue contributing to the event.

 

[Everskyward]

Nowadays I almost always fly IFR but back when I was flying VFR I never filed VFR flight plans. I figured my boss would wonder why I wasn't back with his airplane. Besides it would be difficult to file any plan when mapping since the time you spend at any location is variable as is the route you might take between sites. We had one new hire who wanted to file VFR flight plans but one day she took a little longer than expected and either didn't or couldn't get in touch with anyone to amend the flight plan so they started looking.

 

[murphey]

With so many sources of high quality weather over the internet and TV there is no need to request weather from FSS over the phone. If you have XM/WX onboard you are better off than WX from a FSS. The only time I have seen WX reports from VOLMETs or Oceanic centers useful is when out of range of XM/WX and your plane is not Inmarsat equipped.

If you are TCAS and XM/WX equipped there is no need for VFR flight plan or even flight following. I found TCAS to be more accurate (specially offshore) than ATC.

José

There is a legal reason to get an FSS/DUATS/ForeFlight weather briefing. In the event of an accident or incident, having the briefing on file is a point in your favor should someone sue your estate. It goes with the clause "pilot should have all available info..." or some such gibberish.

 

[Ghery]

Our club rules require filing a plan if we are flying more than 100 nm from OLM, or if we are crossing the Cascades. That said, when flying VFR getting FF is far more useful. And, now that I have the IR, I file that when going anywhere other than local. Sure made the last trip across the rocks more comfortable. I knew they knew where I was.

 

[flyingron]

There's not even a correlation here. Just because most accident reports (if you're willing to buy that premise) indicate that the pilot didn't file a plan, it doesn't mean that those who didn't crash did file a plan with more frequency.

 

[Piloto]

There is a legal reason to get an FSS/DUATS/ForeFlight weather briefing. In the event of an accident or incident, having the briefing on file is a point in your favor should someone sue your estate. It goes with the clause "pilot should have all available info..." or some such gibberish.

Murphey

I have been involved in four aviation lawsuits and the weather source issue has never been a factor. Weather you get from a FSS or DUAT for 8 hour flight is useless unless some form of update in-flight, either by onboard radar, XM/WX or VOLMET. Unless you have windshear radar onboard you can easily encounter it without the FSS telling you anything about. How about clear air turbulence? A lot of passengers sue the airlines for injuries but never the FSS (for not telling the pilots). On the trials that I have attended the fact the pilot got WX from FSS was never a factor. But it was a factor not properly equipped to cope with the weather scenario at the time.

José

 

[dennyleeb]

I don't think I have flown one vfr trip since getting my instrument rating over a year ago. I hate not being in the system.

 

[Swampfox201]

In the minority here. Where I rent requires it and I think its a good idea so I always file VFR on cross country.

 

[Morne]

Concerning FF I was told by several CFIs that "Its a voluntary system, on both sides". They aren't obligated to do anything for you.

All true, but at least if you have to declare an emergency you are already on the correct frequency. While VFR FF might be low priority to ATC, someone calling a MAYDAY on their channel is going to get attention.

 

[rottydaddy]

There's not even a correlation here. Just because most accident reports (if you're willing to buy that premise) indicate that the pilot didn't file a plan, it doesn't mean that those who didn't crash did file a plan with more frequency.

Yeah, there's no logical reason why a VFR plan would enhance safety, because it's simply "SAR insurance", and nothing more.
You can file but still do everything necessary to wind up in the NTSB archives.
It might possibly mean the difference between life and death, insofar as you might get found sooner if you crash... but it does absolutely nothing to prevent that crash.

 

[Jeanie]

So let's say a pilot doesn't file a VFR flight plan but does tell the wife where they are going and approximate when they should arrive. " I'll call you when I get there.". No call from hubby by some time after eta. Who does the wife call to report a missing air raft and how seious will they take her?

 

[GCA319]

I typically don't file VFR unless I'm going somewhere that I know I won't be able to get in radar contact (ABQ-ALS is an example) below 12k. Just remember that VFR advisories are given on a workload permitting basis and can be dropped at any time. If I'm going somewhere with complicated airspace, I'll just file IFR instead of trying to beg for VFR service.

 

[MadseasoN]

All true, but at least if you have to declare an emergency you are already on the correct frequency. While VFR FF might be low priority to ATC, someone calling a MAYDAY on their channel is going to get attention.

Good point.

I still wouldn't depend on FF only. Most of my trips occur at 3K-4K feet. If the engine goes then I have about 3 minutes to get on the ground. The last thing I want to be doing is yelling 'MAYDAY' hoping that they heard who it was calling. If there's a fire then the electrical is off (NORDO) so that's no good.

 

[flyingron]

I don't think I have flown one vfr trip since getting my instrument rating over a year ago. I hate not being in the system.

Of course the "system" ain't foolproof either. Lost a pilot a few years ago who was switched over to advisory frequency and his last words were that he was probably going to have to come back on the missed. Unfortunately he crashed before he got back on frequency and the controller forgot about him. They didn't go looking for him until the next day.