Narrative:

Enhanced class B around washington dc includes jyo airport. That means that turboprop aircraft or aircraft over 4000 pounds cannot operate VFR at jyo. On an IFR flight plan, I was approaching jyo and had been cleared for a visual. The controller insisted I cancel in the air, not on the ground. When I said I wanted to cancel on the ground, he said 'if you don't cancel with me now, I won't allow you to change frequencys' at which point being near the airport, I cancelled IFR, as trying to land at an uncontrolled airport without talking on unicom is both illegal and unsafe. The airport can be used VFR for training since it is outside the 18 mi rings but still is the enhanced class B. Normally, I always cancel on the ground and before sept 11TH, I never had an issue with dulles on canceling on the ground. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot called dca FSS to complain about his air traffic service into jyo. The dca specialist advised that they received a 'few other calls' about similar challenges by approach control. The reporter was advised that when FSS addressed the matter with approach control, they were 'brushed off.' the reporter has since flown into jyo airport 4 more times since the incident, but a similar event has not occurred. In each of the rptrs following arrivals, he has been afforded the right to air-cancel or advise canceling after he has landed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IAD APCH DIRECTS A PA31 TO CANCEL IFR WHILE ENRTE TO JYO ARPT OR HE WILL NOT ALLOW PLT TO CHANGE TO UNICOM FREQ. PLT WANTED TO CANCEL ON ARR, BUT SUCCUMBS TO ATC CHALLENGE.

Narrative: ENHANCED CLASS B AROUND WASHINGTON DC INCLUDES JYO ARPT. THAT MEANS THAT TURBOPROP ACFT OR ACFT OVER 4000 POUNDS CANNOT OPERATE VFR AT JYO. ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, I WAS APCHING JYO AND HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL. THE CTLR INSISTED I CANCEL IN THE AIR, NOT ON THE GND. WHEN I SAID I WANTED TO CANCEL ON THE GND, HE SAID 'IF YOU DON'T CANCEL WITH ME NOW, I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO CHANGE FREQS' AT WHICH POINT BEING NEAR THE ARPT, I CANCELLED IFR, AS TRYING TO LAND AT AN UNCTLED ARPT WITHOUT TALKING ON UNICOM IS BOTH ILLEGAL AND UNSAFE. THE ARPT CAN BE USED VFR FOR TRAINING SINCE IT IS OUTSIDE THE 18 MI RINGS BUT STILL IS THE ENHANCED CLASS B. NORMALLY, I ALWAYS CANCEL ON THE GND AND BEFORE SEPT 11TH, I NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH DULLES ON CANCELING ON THE GND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT CALLED DCA FSS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT HIS AIR TFC SVC INTO JYO. THE DCA SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT THEY RECEIVED A 'FEW OTHER CALLS' ABOUT SIMILAR CHALLENGES BY APCH CTL. THE RPTR WAS ADVISED THAT WHEN FSS ADDRESSED THE MATTER WITH APCH CTL, THEY WERE 'BRUSHED OFF.' THE RPTR HAS SINCE FLOWN INTO JYO ARPT 4 MORE TIMES SINCE THE INCIDENT, BUT A SIMILAR EVENT HAS NOT OCCURRED. IN EACH OF THE RPTRS FOLLOWING ARRIVALS, HE HAS BEEN AFFORDED THE RIGHT TO AIR-CANCEL OR ADVISE CANCELING AFTER HE HAS LANDED.

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.