A C172 PVT PLT CLOSES OUT HIS VFR FLT PLAN 1 PT 5 HRS OVERDUE. FSS SAYS THEY WILL 'CALL OFF THE SEARCH AND RESCUE.'

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ON MAR/XA/99; I FILED A FLT PLAN WITH OAK FSS. THE FLT PLAN WAS FOR THE FLT THAT ORIGINATED FROM SJC; CONTINUED WITH A STOP IN SNS AND WAS TO TERMINATE IN L52. UNFORTUNATELY; WHEN I GOT TO SNS; THE FBO WAS CLOSED; SO I HAD TO DIVERT TO MONTEREY TO GET FUEL. THIS ADDED BOTH TIME AND A DISTR TO MY FLT. ONCE I GOT TO OCEANO; THE PLT CTLED LIGHTING WOULD NOT LIGHT THE ARPT. THIS ALSO ADDED A DISTR TO MY FLT. AFTER DIVERTING AGAIN; THIS TIME TO SAN LUIS OBISPO; I REALIZED THAT I WAS NOW ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS PAST MY PROJECTED TIME OF ARR AT L52. AT THIS TIME I IMMEDIATELY CALLED HAWTHORNE RADIO TO CLOSE MY FLT PLAN. I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD CALL OFF THE SEARCH AND RESCUE. MY DELAY; THOUGH COMPLETELY UNINTENTIONAL; IN CLOSING MY FLT PLAN WAS AVOIDABLE. TOO MANY SMALL PROBS IN AN ACFT THAT I HAD SPENT LESS THAN 10 HRS IN CERTAINLY LED TO TOO MANY DISTRS. HOWEVER; A LITTLE MORE LEEWAY COULD BE GIVEN BEFORE SEARCH AND RESCUE IS CALLED OUT. ESPECIALLY WHEN CONSIDERING THAT I HAD STAYED IN CONTACT WITH THE APPROPRIATE FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE FLT UNTIL ABOUT 10 MI FROM L52.