Narrative:

Was cleared for an approach in to runway 11R (non-towered) and told to change to advisory; contact houston center on the ground or FSS if unable to reach center. I landed; tried to reach houston center and two different FSS on 4 different frequencys with no response. Taxied to ramp and shut down; walked directly to a phone and dialed FSS. Waited 15 minutes for a briefer. Briefer was upset I had not cancelled IFR -- I told briefer that I was unable to cancel IFR over the radio and she was the first person I talked to since I landed. Briefer said they would cancel my IFR. I then filed a flight plan for the outbound leg and FSS gave me a phone number to call for clearance. Called houston center (austin sector) and asked for clearance -- I was told that my inbound IFR flight plan was still active. I told the controller over the phone that I had attempted to cancel IFR over the radio and eventually talked to a briefer who was supposed to cancel for me over the phone. I got my clearance for the outbound and took off. Called center airborne and was given a full route clearance. During a break in the radio traffic the controller told me over the air that my IFR inbound was still active and it was my responsibility to close it going in to a non-towered field. The frequency was busy and I did not think arguing with the controller was prudent at that time. Having to hold 15 minutes or more for a briefer with the consolidation of FSS is totally unacceptable. Furthermore; in a situation with WX right at minimums like I've described; not being able to talk to a briefer quickly is downright dangerous -- what if there had been someone else trying to get in behind me while I listened to the phone tell me; 'your call is important to us.' if ever faced with a situation such as this again; I will get the initials of every FSS specialist and/or atcer who I talk to at any phase. Being berated on a center frequency for not canceling IFR nearly an hour after landing; canceling; refueling; and departing again is unacceptable and unprofessional treatment by the atcer; especially when it was FSS/ATC whose lack of communication and capability caused the problem.callback conversation with reporter revealed no additional information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT VOICED CONCERN REGARDING FSS FAILURE TO CANCEL IFR FLT PLAN AFTER MAKING AN APCH TO BNH; AND LENGTH OF TIME TO RECEIVE SERVICE.

Narrative: WAS CLEARED FOR AN APPROACH IN TO RWY 11R (NON-TOWERED) AND TOLD TO CHANGE TO ADVISORY; CONTACT HOUSTON CTR ON THE GROUND OR FSS IF UNABLE TO REACH CTR. I LANDED; TRIED TO REACH HOUSTON CTR AND TWO DIFFERENT FSS ON 4 DIFFERENT FREQS WITH NO RESPONSE. TAXIED TO RAMP AND SHUT DOWN; WALKED DIRECTLY TO A PHONE AND DIALED FSS. WAITED 15 MINUTES FOR A BRIEFER. BRIEFER WAS UPSET I HAD NOT CANCELLED IFR -- I TOLD BRIEFER THAT I WAS UNABLE TO CANCEL IFR OVER THE RADIO AND SHE WAS THE FIRST PERSON I TALKED TO SINCE I LANDED. BRIEFER SAID THEY WOULD CANCEL MY IFR. I THEN FILED A FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE OUTBOUND LEG AND FSS GAVE ME A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL FOR CLEARANCE. CALLED HOUSTON CTR (AUSTIN SECTOR) AND ASKED FOR CLEARANCE -- I WAS TOLD THAT MY INBOUND IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS STILL ACTIVE. I TOLD THE CONTROLLER OVER THE PHONE THAT I HAD ATTEMPTED TO CANCEL IFR OVER THE RADIO AND EVENTUALLY TALKED TO A BRIEFER WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO CANCEL FOR ME OVER THE PHONE. I GOT MY CLEARANCE FOR THE OUTBOUND AND TOOK OFF. CALLED CTR AIRBORNE AND WAS GIVEN A FULL ROUTE CLEARANCE. DURING A BREAK IN THE RADIO TRAFFIC THE CONTROLLER TOLD ME OVER THE AIR THAT MY IFR INBOUND WAS STILL ACTIVE AND IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO CLOSE IT GOING IN TO A NON-TOWERED FIELD. THE FREQ WAS BUSY AND I DID NOT THINK ARGUING WITH THE CONTROLLER WAS PRUDENT AT THAT TIME. HAVING TO HOLD 15 MINUTES OR MORE FOR A BRIEFER WITH THE CONSOLIDATION OF FSS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. FURTHERMORE; IN A SITUATION WITH WX RIGHT AT MINIMUMS LIKE I'VE DESCRIBED; NOT BEING ABLE TO TALK TO A BRIEFER QUICKLY IS DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS -- WHAT IF THERE HAD BEEN SOMEONE ELSE TRYING TO GET IN BEHIND ME WHILE I LISTENED TO THE PHONE TELL ME; 'YOUR CALL IS IMPORTANT TO US.' IF EVER FACED WITH A SITUATION SUCH AS THIS AGAIN; I WILL GET THE INITIALS OF EVERY FSS SPECIALIST AND/OR ATCER WHO I TALK TO AT ANY PHASE. BEING BERATED ON A CENTER FREQUENCY FOR NOT CANCELING IFR NEARLY AN HOUR AFTER LANDING; CANCELING; REFUELING; AND DEPARTING AGAIN IS UNACCEPTABLE AND UNPROFESSIONAL TREATMENT BY THE ATCER; ESPECIALLY WHEN IT WAS FSS/ATC WHOSE LACK OF COMMUNICATION AND CAPABILITY CAUSED THE PROBLEM.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED NO ADDITIONAL INFO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.