Private pilot complaint of ATC not closing IFR flight plan when requested to do so.

Attributes
ACN	266859
Time
Date	199403
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lbx
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
ASRS Report	266859
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After being cleared to land and frequency change approved we made a position report to the advisory frequency. I returned to approach to cancel my flight plan. The controller repeated my clearance to land and frequency change approved. I then requested him to cancel flight plan and he responded with 'flight plan canceled, squawk 1200.' my flight instructor and I assumed the flight plan was successfully closed until FAA phoned, looking for us. I believe the controller inadvertently failed to close the flight plan after verbally indicating closure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT COMPLAINT OF ATC NOT CLOSING IFR FLT PLAN WHEN REQUESTED TO DO SO.

Narrative: AFTER BEING CLRED TO LAND AND FREQ CHANGE APPROVED WE MADE A POS RPT TO THE ADVISORY FREQ. I RETURNED TO APCH TO CANCEL MY FLT PLAN. THE CTLR REPEATED MY CLRNC TO LAND AND FREQ CHANGE APPROVED. I THEN REQUESTED HIM TO CANCEL FLT PLAN AND HE RESPONDED WITH 'FLT PLAN CANCELED, SQUAWK 1200.' MY FLT INSTRUCTOR AND I ASSUMED THE FLT PLAN WAS SUCCESSFULLY CLOSED UNTIL FAA PHONED, LOOKING FOR US. I BELIEVE THE CTLR INADVERTENTLY FAILED TO CLOSE THE FLT PLAN AFTER VERBALLY INDICATING CLOSURE.

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.