Narrative:

IFR flight plan, erv to mqy. Was being vectored to smyrna airport for fuel stop. 20 mi southwest I reported airport in sight. I cancelled IFR and accepted flight following -- same frequency, same controller. A few mins later, I reported to mqy tower that I was downwind for runway 19, the active. The tower seemed surprised, even alarmed -- where did I come from. Nashville approach. Never called mqy tower to announce our arrival in area! Even if we were VFR without flight following, I would expect a handoff. Is this assumption wrong? Approach controller created an unsafe condition! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated that he visited the tower after landing and was given the impression that the approach controller usually passes on the aircraft number to the tower in order that they can expect the arrival. However, in this instance the controller did not since the IFR flight plan was cancelled prior to reaching the destination. He was advised that ATC is not obligated to pass on the arrival since the aircraft is not on any flight plan and may not elect to follow through with a landing. The reporter appreciated this call.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIVATE INST RATED PLT OF SMA ACFT ENTERED AN ATA WITHOUT CLRNC AFTER CANCELING IFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN, ERV TO MQY. WAS BEING VECTORED TO SMYRNA ARPT FOR FUEL STOP. 20 MI SW I RPTED ARPT IN SIGHT. I CANCELLED IFR AND ACCEPTED FLT FOLLOWING -- SAME FREQ, SAME CTLR. A FEW MINS LATER, I RPTED TO MQY TWR THAT I WAS DOWNWIND FOR RWY 19, THE ACTIVE. THE TWR SEEMED SURPRISED, EVEN ALARMED -- WHERE DID I COME FROM. NASHVILLE APCH. NEVER CALLED MQY TWR TO ANNOUNCE OUR ARR IN AREA! EVEN IF WE WERE VFR WITHOUT FLT FOLLOWING, I WOULD EXPECT A HDOF. IS THIS ASSUMPTION WRONG? APCH CTLR CREATED AN UNSAFE CONDITION! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THAT HE VISITED THE TWR AFTER LNDG AND WAS GIVEN THE IMPRESSION THAT THE APCH CTLR USUALLY PASSES ON THE ACFT NUMBER TO THE TWR IN ORDER THAT THEY CAN EXPECT THE ARR. HOWEVER, IN THIS INSTANCE THE CTLR DID NOT SINCE THE IFR FLT PLAN WAS CANCELLED PRIOR TO REACHING THE DEST. HE WAS ADVISED THAT ATC IS NOT OBLIGATED TO PASS ON THE ARR SINCE THE ACFT IS NOT ON ANY FLT PLAN AND MAY NOT ELECT TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH A LNDG. THE RPTR APPRECIATED THIS CALL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.