Pilot of small aircraft believes he violated the TCA after being released to VFR by TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	129042
Time
Date	198911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sql
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	129042
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

IFR arrival to san carlos via radar vectors. Just after going visibility and reporting airport in sight, approach said 'advise cancelling IFR.' I declined until 500' below clouds. Approach pushed again to get me to cancel, rather than issuing a visibility approach. Figuring that the controller wanted to not have to separate me from sfo arrs, I accepted the IFR cancellation. Almost immediately after going VFR, I clipped the bottom of the lowest sector of the sfo TCA. Moral: don't let approach push one into accepting a premature cancellation--demand a visibility approach and let the tower do it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA BELIEVES HE VIOLATED THE TCA AFTER BEING RELEASED TO VFR BY TRACON.

Narrative: IFR ARR TO SAN CARLOS VIA RADAR VECTORS. JUST AFTER GOING VIS AND RPTING ARPT IN SIGHT, APCH SAID 'ADVISE CANCELLING IFR.' I DECLINED UNTIL 500' BELOW CLOUDS. APCH PUSHED AGAIN TO GET ME TO CANCEL, RATHER THAN ISSUING A VIS APCH. FIGURING THAT THE CTLR WANTED TO NOT HAVE TO SEPARATE ME FROM SFO ARRS, I ACCEPTED THE IFR CANCELLATION. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER GOING VFR, I CLIPPED THE BOTTOM OF THE LOWEST SECTOR OF THE SFO TCA. MORAL: DON'T LET APCH PUSH ONE INTO ACCEPTING A PREMATURE CANCELLATION--DEMAND A VIS APCH AND LET THE TWR DO IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.