IFR flight plan cancellation not confirmed by ARTCC during approach to a uncontrolled airport.

Attributes
ACN	296190
Time
Date	199502
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cfd
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	296190
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Arriving over the intersection of ranee for the approach at 3000 ft we found we could see the field and notified center we had the airport in sight and canceled. Center answered roger. In approximately 1 min we told center we were changing to local (123.0). Later in the evening my pager gave me a number in houston to call. The number was busy twice but after 5 or 10 min I got FAA inspector. He informed me that my cancellation was in question in that I did not receive a clear enough response from center: such as, I saw you are canceled. I must say mr (aci) was very professional and we discussed how to prevent this from happening again. I did tell him I had canceled with center and of my second call advising going to local. Center controllers sometimes work several frequencys. I fly this approach many times per yr for the last 10 yrs and have never had any difficulty with cancellation before. We will now make a strong secondary effort to positively close and be sure of our cancellations. Mr FAA was very considerate of my position and I think he handled the situation very well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR FLT PLAN CANCELLATION NOT CONFIRMED BY ARTCC DURING APCH TO A UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative: ARRIVING OVER THE INTXN OF RANEE FOR THE APCH AT 3000 FT WE FOUND WE COULD SEE THE FIELD AND NOTIFIED CTR WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND CANCELED. CTR ANSWERED ROGER. IN APPROX 1 MIN WE TOLD CTR WE WERE CHANGING TO LCL (123.0). LATER IN THE EVENING MY PAGER GAVE ME A NUMBER IN HOUSTON TO CALL. THE NUMBER WAS BUSY TWICE BUT AFTER 5 OR 10 MIN I GOT FAA INSPECTOR. HE INFORMED ME THAT MY CANCELLATION WAS IN QUESTION IN THAT I DID NOT RECEIVE A CLR ENOUGH RESPONSE FROM CTR: SUCH AS, I SAW YOU ARE CANCELED. I MUST SAY MR (ACI) WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL AND WE DISCUSSED HOW TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. I DID TELL HIM I HAD CANCELED WITH CTR AND OF MY SECOND CALL ADVISING GOING TO LCL. CTR CTLRS SOMETIMES WORK SEVERAL FREQS. I FLY THIS APCH MANY TIMES PER YR FOR THE LAST 10 YRS AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY DIFFICULTY WITH CANCELLATION BEFORE. WE WILL NOW MAKE A STRONG SECONDARY EFFORT TO POSITIVELY CLOSE AND BE SURE OF OUR CANCELLATIONS. MR FAA WAS VERY CONSIDERATE OF MY POS AND I THINK HE HANDLED THE SIT VERY WELL.

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.