Pilot on IFR flight plan lands after switching to CTAF and fails to close flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	362289
Time
Date	199703
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jyo
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	362289
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After being cleared for localizer runway 17 approach to jyo and upon reaching altitude of less than 2500 ft MSL I was told that radar service was terminated and cleared to contact advisory frequency. In response I stated that I was going to advisory. However, I did not state that I was canceling IFR and later learned that an inquiry (including telephone to my home) had been made as to my whereabouts. Upon learning of the inquiry, I immediately contacted ATC by telephone. The confusion on my part arose because I am unaccustomed to IFR approach into jyo. Aircraft was formerly based at iad where no cancellation action is required. At W54 and wwd where I commonly operate, ATC issues a prompt with respect to cancellation: 'cancel IFR with me on this frequency or on the ground on frequency XXX.X, etc.' or asks 'are you familiar with IFR cancellation procedures at XXX?' having received no prompt, I mistakenly assumed no action was required. Suggest cancellation prompt be incorporated into standard ATC procedure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ON IFR FLT PLAN LANDS AFTER SWITCHING TO CTAF AND FAILS TO CLOSE FLT PLAN.

Narrative: AFTER BEING CLRED FOR LOC RWY 17 APCH TO JYO AND UPON REACHING ALT OF LESS THAN 2500 FT MSL I WAS TOLD THAT RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED AND CLRED TO CONTACT ADVISORY FREQ. IN RESPONSE I STATED THAT I WAS GOING TO ADVISORY. HOWEVER, I DID NOT STATE THAT I WAS CANCELING IFR AND LATER LEARNED THAT AN INQUIRY (INCLUDING TELEPHONE TO MY HOME) HAD BEEN MADE AS TO MY WHEREABOUTS. UPON LEARNING OF THE INQUIRY, I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED ATC BY TELEPHONE. THE CONFUSION ON MY PART AROSE BECAUSE I AM UNACCUSTOMED TO IFR APCH INTO JYO. ACFT WAS FORMERLY BASED AT IAD WHERE NO CANCELLATION ACTION IS REQUIRED. AT W54 AND WWD WHERE I COMMONLY OPERATE, ATC ISSUES A PROMPT WITH RESPECT TO CANCELLATION: 'CANCEL IFR WITH ME ON THIS FREQ OR ON THE GND ON FREQ XXX.X, ETC.' OR ASKS 'ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH IFR CANCELLATION PROCS AT XXX?' HAVING RECEIVED NO PROMPT, I MISTAKENLY ASSUMED NO ACTION WAS REQUIRED. SUGGEST CANCELLATION PROMPT BE INCORPORATED INTO STANDARD ATC PROC.

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.