C172 instructor reports difficulty canceling flight following with ny TRACON during descent due to a...

Attributes
ACN	1171744
Time
Date	201405
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	N90.TRACON
State Reference	NY
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	Instructor Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 10 Flight Crew Total 2240 Flight Crew Type 600
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Horizontal 0 Vertical 300

Narrative:

The training flight was conducted under 'radar services'; where the original frequency was only working between the altitudes of 3;500 and 4;000 ft. During the descent; tried many times to get a hold of the ny TRACON on 120.15; trying to cancel flight following. While descending between 3;800-3;500 ft the radio reception got weaker; and tried to go back to 4;000 feet to make a last attempt to cancel radar services; as we were reaching 3;800 ft; on the radio; heard someone say to stop descent at for traffic; followed a few seconds later [by an aircraft] flying overhead. Right away we rapidly descended to 2;500 ft to clear any possible conflict and stay clear of class 'B' ahead; as the approach continued; tried different frequencies; with no luck. Once on the ground; call ny TRACON via the phone line to inform them we were safe on the ground; and due to radio coverage and volume; it was impossible to cancel in the air.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 instructor reports difficulty canceling flight following with NY TRACON during descent due to a weak radio or lack of VHF coverage. Climbing to regain VHF contact results in a NMAC. Flight following is canceled on the ground.

Narrative: The training flight was conducted under 'Radar Services'; where the original frequency was only working between the altitudes of 3;500 and 4;000 FT. During the descent; tried many times to get a hold of the NY TRACON on 120.15; trying to cancel flight following. While descending between 3;800-3;500 FT the radio reception got weaker; and tried to go back to 4;000 feet to make a last attempt to cancel radar services; as we were reaching 3;800 FT; on the radio; heard someone say to stop descent at for traffic; followed a few seconds later [by an aircraft] flying overhead. Right away we rapidly descended to 2;500 FT to clear any possible conflict and stay clear of Class 'B' ahead; as the approach continued; tried different frequencies; with no luck. Once on the ground; call NY TRACON via the phone line to inform them we were safe on the ground; and due to radio coverage and volume; it was impossible to cancel in the air.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

C172 instructor reports difficulty canceling flight following with ny TRACON during descent due to a weak radio or lack of VHF coverage. Climbing to regain VHF contact results in a near midair collision. Flight following is canceled on the ground.