Narrative:

Aircraft inbound to pqi on visual approach. Aircraft given cancellation instructions and radar service terminated. Several aircraft request departure clearance. I had supervisor call FBO at pqi to see if X has landed. FBO reports aircraft on ground and getting fuel. I issued departure clearance to Y (he departs) then Z (and he departs). Several mins later X calls me airborne requesting to pick up his IFR clearance. I issue clearance. The flight service calls me and tells me that X canceled his flight plan at XA24. I asked X when he canceled his inbound flight plan and he told me with the WX briefer but that the pilot was 'speaking to someone in GA and he wasn't sure who to call.' thankfully; I had not chewed out X (yet?) for failing to cancel inbound and possibly delaying other outbound flts; but the failure of FSS personnel to promptly cancel flight plans and/or provide timely ATC information is deplorable. This is certainly not the first time that we've had this problem in my area. We're just getting so fed up with it (and realizing that it's not an abnormality) that I'm filing this today.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZBW CTLR DESCRIBED FSS FAILURE TO RELAY IFR CANCELLATION WHICH COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO SEVERAL UNNECESSARY DEP DELAYS.

Narrative: ACFT INBOUND TO PQI ON VISUAL APCH. ACFT GIVEN CANCELLATION INSTRUCTIONS AND RADAR SVC TERMINATED. SEVERAL ACFT REQUEST DEP CLRNC. I HAD SUPVR CALL FBO AT PQI TO SEE IF X HAS LANDED. FBO RPTS ACFT ON GND AND GETTING FUEL. I ISSUED DEP CLRNC TO Y (HE DEPARTS) THEN Z (AND HE DEPARTS). SEVERAL MINS LATER X CALLS ME AIRBORNE REQUESTING TO PICK UP HIS IFR CLRNC. I ISSUE CLRNC. THE FLT SVC CALLS ME AND TELLS ME THAT X CANCELED HIS FLT PLAN AT XA24. I ASKED X WHEN HE CANCELED HIS INBOUND FLT PLAN AND HE TOLD ME WITH THE WX BRIEFER BUT THAT THE PLT WAS 'SPEAKING TO SOMEONE IN GA AND HE WASN'T SURE WHO TO CALL.' THANKFULLY; I HAD NOT CHEWED OUT X (YET?) FOR FAILING TO CANCEL INBOUND AND POSSIBLY DELAYING OTHER OUTBOUND FLTS; BUT THE FAILURE OF FSS PERSONNEL TO PROMPTLY CANCEL FLT PLANS AND/OR PROVIDE TIMELY ATC INFO IS DEPLORABLE. THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE HAD THIS PROB IN MY AREA. WE'RE JUST GETTING SO FED UP WITH IT (AND REALIZING THAT IT'S NOT AN ABNORMALITY) THAT I'M FILING THIS TODAY.

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.