Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from jacksonville to treasure cay, bahamas. My company received prior permission from the bahamian authority/authorized in treasure cay to land at their airport at approximately XC00 local. I was still on ZMA radio control until my aircraft was only 10 mi north of the airfield and a descent clearance down to 3000 ft. My last request to ZMA was 'xyz has treasure cay in sight. I need to cancel IFR at this time.' the controller responded that cancellation received and frequency change approved. Since ZMA did not say to contact nassau approach, I assumed that I was cleared to switch directly over to the airfield unicom frequency. So I did this and landed into treasure cay without incident. Later at the airport terminal, a bahamas ATC supervisor called me on the phone to threaten me with violation because I did not contact him on the radio for clearance prior to landing at treasure cay. (The bahamas are only under IFR rules during night hours.) I tried to explain to him that I understood from ZMA controllers that I was cleared to land at the airfield since I was under their radar control up until 10 mi from the airfield and they subsequently accepted my IFR cancellation request and did not hand me over nassau. I apologized to him for the misunderstanding but he was not very accepting. The purpose of the flight was to transport 2 air carrier mechanics to treasure cay to repair a disabled company aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PART 135 ATX PLT LANDS AT TCB AND LATER FINDS OUT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO CONTACT NASSAU APCH.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM JACKSONVILLE TO TREASURE CAY, BAHAMAS. MY COMPANY RECEIVED PRIOR PERMISSION FROM THE BAHAMIAN AUTH IN TREASURE CAY TO LAND AT THEIR ARPT AT APPROX XC00 LCL. I WAS STILL ON ZMA RADIO CTL UNTIL MY ACFT WAS ONLY 10 MI N OF THE AIRFIELD AND A DSCNT CLRNC DOWN TO 3000 FT. MY LAST REQUEST TO ZMA WAS 'XYZ HAS TREASURE CAY IN SIGHT. I NEED TO CANCEL IFR AT THIS TIME.' THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT CANCELLATION RECEIVED AND FREQ CHANGE APPROVED. SINCE ZMA DID NOT SAY TO CONTACT NASSAU APCH, I ASSUMED THAT I WAS CLRED TO SWITCH DIRECTLY OVER TO THE AIRFIELD UNICOM FREQ. SO I DID THIS AND LANDED INTO TREASURE CAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. LATER AT THE ARPT TERMINAL, A BAHAMAS ATC SUPVR CALLED ME ON THE PHONE TO THREATEN ME WITH VIOLATION BECAUSE I DID NOT CONTACT HIM ON THE RADIO FOR CLRNC PRIOR TO LNDG AT TREASURE CAY. (THE BAHAMAS ARE ONLY UNDER IFR RULES DURING NIGHT HRS.) I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT I UNDERSTOOD FROM ZMA CTLRS THAT I WAS CLRED TO LAND AT THE AIRFIELD SINCE I WAS UNDER THEIR RADAR CTL UP UNTIL 10 MI FROM THE AIRFIELD AND THEY SUBSEQUENTLY ACCEPTED MY IFR CANCELLATION REQUEST AND DID NOT HAND ME OVER NASSAU. I APOLOGIZED TO HIM FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING BUT HE WAS NOT VERY ACCEPTING. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO TRANSPORT 2 ACR MECHS TO TREASURE CAY TO REPAIR A DISABLED COMPANY ACFT.

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.