STUDENT PLT OF SOLO XCOUNTRY MAKES AN UNSCHEDULED LNDG DUE TO AN ENG PROB. UPON RETURN TO HOME BASE; STUDENT FORGETS TO CLOSE FLT PLAN.

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THIS EVENT INVOLVED A SOLO STUDENT ON HER THIRD SOLO XCOUNTRY. I REVIEWED HER FLT PLAN WITH HER ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND WX WAS REVIEWED ON DAY OF FLT. IT WAS A WARM DAY WITH SOME HUMIDITY; BUT FOUND TO BE SATISFACTORY. THE STUDENT DEPARTED NORMALLY. ON THE ENRTE CLB; SHE REALIZED SHE FORGOT TO LEAN ENG AND THEN DID SO AT APPROX 6000 FT MSL. UPON REACHING CRUISE AT 7500 FT MSL; SHE NOTICED THE ENG SURGING APPROX 400 RPM. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RE-LEAN AND INTRODUCE CARB HEAT TO NO AVAIL; SHE BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT ENG FAILURE AND NOTIFIED ONT APCH. ONT ADVISED HER OF HER NEAREST ARPTS; PERRIS AND MARCH AFB. DUE TO THE HIGH PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY; UNCTLED FIELD AND SHORTER RWY AT PERRIS ARPT; SHE CHOSE MARCH AFB AND LANDED NORMALLY. AFTER TALKING TO APPROPRIATE PERSONS AT MARCH; SHE CALLED THE FLT SCHOOL AND TALKED WITH CHIEF PLT (I WAS UNAVAILABLE). SHE WAS TOLD TO DO A THOROUGH RUNUP AND CALL BACK. AFTER SHE WAS SATISFIED WITH RUNUP; SHE CALLED BACK AND IT WAS DECIDED SAFE FOR HER TO FLY HOME. SHE DEPARTED MARCH AND FLEW BACK TO SNA ARPT AND FLT WAS NORMAL. UPON RETURNING HOME; BECAUSE OF ALL THAT HAPPENED; SHE ALSO FORGOT TO CLOSE VFR FLT PLAN WHICH WAS CLOSED WHEN FSS CALLED SNA TWR TO CHK FOR LNDG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NERVOUSNESS ON SOLO; LEANING LATE; HUMIDITY (POSSIBLE CARB ICE).