Narrative:

During a non precision approach to the 1b9 airport, I had been vectored to and was on the final approach heading for landing. The last assigned altitude was 2000 ft, and I was having trouble with the NDB bearing indicator which was not acquiring the station even though I was within 5 mi of it. My LORAN CDI indicated I was exactly on a straight-in course heading and I evidently at that moment lost communications (I tried both radios and both headsets) on 120.6 (i.e., I could no longer hear them). As I passed over the runway lights I saw them and descended to make an uneventful landing in VMC. Since I had not been able to communicate my cancellation of the IFR flight plan, I asked my passenger, whom I dropped off at 1b9, to do it while I proceeded VFR to orh. About 3 mi northwest I encountered low IMC conditions and had to return to 1b9. I was looking for a phone to confirm the cancellation of my IFR plan when I met some of my civil air patrol friends on the ramp who were looking for my aircraft. I then called TRACON and discussed the situation with the supervisor on duty. Hereafter, I shall put a higher priority on cancelling my IFR flight plan by landline, especially if I think there is a chance that I might have disappeared from the controller's scope in locally marginal conditions before being able to cancel by radio.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE HIS IFR FLT PLAN. HIS PAX FAILED TO CLOSE THE FLT PLAN AS REQUESTED. A SEARCH WAS BEGUN BY THE LCL CIVIL AIR PATROL.

Narrative: DURING A NON PRECISION APCH TO THE 1B9 ARPT, I HAD BEEN VECTORED TO AND WAS ON THE FINAL APCH HDG FOR LNDG. THE LAST ASSIGNED ALT WAS 2000 FT, AND I WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE NDB BEARING INDICATOR WHICH WAS NOT ACQUIRING THE STATION EVEN THOUGH I WAS WITHIN 5 MI OF IT. MY LORAN CDI INDICATED I WAS EXACTLY ON A STRAIGHT-IN COURSE HDG AND I EVIDENTLY AT THAT MOMENT LOST COMS (I TRIED BOTH RADIOS AND BOTH HEADSETS) ON 120.6 (I.E., I COULD NO LONGER HEAR THEM). AS I PASSED OVER THE RWY LIGHTS I SAW THEM AND DSNDED TO MAKE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG IN VMC. SINCE I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO COMMUNICATE MY CANCELLATION OF THE IFR FLT PLAN, I ASKED MY PAX, WHOM I DROPPED OFF AT 1B9, TO DO IT WHILE I PROCEEDED VFR TO ORH. ABOUT 3 MI NW I ENCOUNTERED LOW IMC CONDITIONS AND HAD TO RETURN TO 1B9. I WAS LOOKING FOR A PHONE TO CONFIRM THE CANCELLATION OF MY IFR PLAN WHEN I MET SOME OF MY CIVIL AIR PATROL FRIENDS ON THE RAMP WHO WERE LOOKING FOR MY ACFT. I THEN CALLED TRACON AND DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH THE SUPVR ON DUTY. HEREAFTER, I SHALL PUT A HIGHER PRIORITY ON CANCELLING MY IFR FLT PLAN BY LANDLINE, ESPECIALLY IF I THINK THERE IS A CHANCE THAT I MIGHT HAVE DISAPPEARED FROM THE CTLR'S SCOPE IN LOCALLY MARGINAL CONDITIONS BEFORE BEING ABLE TO CANCEL BY RADIO.

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.