Pilot of an small aircraft twin had IFR flight plan inadvertently canceled by ATC while IMC.

Attributes
ACN	308406
Time
Date	199506
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vrb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tus
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v537
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	308406
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On a return angel flight with a cancer patient I picked up at gainesville (gnv) via route direct ocl V537 vrb, apparently I got canceled IFR. When I was about 35 mi northwest of vrb I figured that I should have been switched to miami approach. When I inquired about this, I was informed that my IFR was canceled some time ago and that I should be squawking 1200. I had just broken out of the clouds about 5 mins before so I said ok, n-number, squawk 1200 VFR. After thinking about this, it got me angry. There I was, IMC and canceled my IFR -- I think not. There was an aircraft around orlando with a similar n-number and I believe someone got them mixed up. I did not initiate an IFR cancellation nor was I asked to accept one. On the positive side, I didn't meet someone in the 20 mins or so that I was IMC and had absolutely no idea the controller thought I wasn't.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA TWIN HAD IFR FLT PLAN INADVERTENTLY CANCELED BY ATC WHILE IMC.

Narrative: ON A RETURN ANGEL FLT WITH A CANCER PATIENT I PICKED UP AT GAINESVILLE (GNV) VIA RTE DIRECT OCL V537 VRB, APPARENTLY I GOT CANCELED IFR. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 35 MI NW OF VRB I FIGURED THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN SWITCHED TO MIAMI APCH. WHEN I INQUIRED ABOUT THIS, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY IFR WAS CANCELED SOME TIME AGO AND THAT I SHOULD BE SQUAWKING 1200. I HAD JUST BROKEN OUT OF THE CLOUDS ABOUT 5 MINS BEFORE SO I SAID OK, N-NUMBER, SQUAWK 1200 VFR. AFTER THINKING ABOUT THIS, IT GOT ME ANGRY. THERE I WAS, IMC AND CANCELED MY IFR -- I THINK NOT. THERE WAS AN ACFT AROUND ORLANDO WITH A SIMILAR N-NUMBER AND I BELIEVE SOMEONE GOT THEM MIXED UP. I DID NOT INITIATE AN IFR CANCELLATION NOR WAS I ASKED TO ACCEPT ONE. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, I DIDN'T MEET SOMEONE IN THE 20 MINS OR SO THAT I WAS IMC AND HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA THE CTLR THOUGHT I WASN'T.

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.