EMS helicopter encounters confusion with SVFR flight plan cancellation.

Attributes
ACN	268558
Time
Date	199404
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 1300
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	approach : svfr
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 4125 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	268558
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
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 working with center for a special VFR clearance into the ZZZ class D airspace, in which they canceled an IFR approach for an aircraft into ILS 22 at ZZZ due to my EMS flight, I was cleared to land at my base hospital 4 mi southwest of ZZZ airport. As I was landing, I radioed to center that I was landing and out of their airspace. They acknowledged. I remained VFR during entire flight and did my flight following through our hospital communication base. After hangaring my aircraft (helicopter), I received a phone call from center (or someone from that facility) that I hadn't canceled my IFR clearance and that traffic had been held up for an approach to ILS 22 at ZZZ due to me. I explained what I did and that I was not on an IFR flight plan. The caller said there must have been a mix up in understanding and left it at that. I should have worded my radio call to ZZZ as 'I am clear of your airspace and cancel my special VFR.' (in hindsight.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI ENCOUNTERS CONFUSION WITH SVFR FLT PLAN CANCELLATION.

Narrative: AFTER WORKING WITH CTR FOR A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC INTO THE ZZZ CLASS D AIRSPACE, IN WHICH THEY CANCELED AN IFR APCH FOR AN ACFT INTO ILS 22 AT ZZZ DUE TO MY EMS FLT, I WAS CLRED TO LAND AT MY BASE HOSPITAL 4 MI SW OF ZZZ ARPT. AS I WAS LNDG, I RADIOED TO CTR THAT I WAS LNDG AND OUT OF THEIR AIRSPACE. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED. I REMAINED VFR DURING ENTIRE FLT AND DID MY FLT FOLLOWING THROUGH OUR HOSPITAL COM BASE. AFTER HANGARING MY ACFT (HELI), I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM CTR (OR SOMEONE FROM THAT FACILITY) THAT I HADN'T CANCELED MY IFR CLRNC AND THAT TFC HAD BEEN HELD UP FOR AN APCH TO ILS 22 AT ZZZ DUE TO ME. I EXPLAINED WHAT I DID AND THAT I WAS NOT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. THE CALLER SAID THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A MIX UP IN UNDERSTANDING AND LEFT IT AT THAT. I SHOULD HAVE WORDED MY RADIO CALL TO ZZZ AS 'I AM CLR OF YOUR AIRSPACE AND CANCEL MY SPECIAL VFR.' (IN HINDSIGHT.)

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.