2 LOW TIME PLTS FAILED TO FILE AN IFR OR DVFR PLAN ZFP TO FLL.

Narrative

A LOW TIME FLT INSTRUCTOR AND A LOW TIME COMMERCIAL PLT WITH 4 PAX; FLEW FROM OMN TO ZFP. THE COMMERCIAL PLT FILED A VFR FLT PLAN WITH FSS AND ASKED ABOUT ANY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS ON THE RETURN. THE COMMERCIAL PLT DID NOT UNDERSTAND HAVING TO FILE AN IFR OR DVFR FLT PLAN ON RETURN. THE ONLY 'PHONE AVAILABLE AT ZPF' WOULD NOT CALL OUT; SO THE PLTS ATTEMPTED TO FILE A FLT PLAN WITH ZFP TWR. ZFP TWR WOULD NOT ANSWER THEIR CALLS; SO THE PLTS LEFT AND FILED A VFR FLT PLAN IN THE AIR WITH ZMA TO FLL TO CLEAR CUSTOMS; THEN FLY ON TO OMN. UPON ARR AT FLL; THE ACFT WAS MET BY THE SHERIFF AND CUSTOMS OFFICIALS. THIS IS WHERE THE PLTS AND PAX FOUND OUT THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE FILED A DVFR FLT PLAN TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES. BOTH PLTS ARE VERY CONTRITE OVER THIS INCIDENT AND HAVE LEARNED A LOT. THE FIRST TKOF ATTEMPT AT ZFP WAS ABORTED DUE TO A DOOR NOT BEING PROPERLY LATCHED. ALL TAXI AND TKOF AT ZPF WERE CONDUCTED ON UNICOM. ZFP TWR DID NOT ANSWER ANY CALLS; BUT DID LATER ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE RPTRS HAD TRIED TO CONTACT THEM.