Narrative:

During an IFR cross country flight; I was handed over to cmi approach over champaign; il. I was on an IFR flight plan to 2k0 (monticello; piatt county; il) filed for the VOR-a approach to the field. When handed to the cmi approach controller I stated my intentions to execute the VOR-a approach at 2k0. I am at around 4000 ft MSL on V434 east of champaign wbound heading approximately 279 degrees. Approximately 6 mi east of the champaign VOR in heavy IMC on an instrument flight plan; I was told by the approach controller 'radar service terminated; stay on current squawk code and remain on the this frequency. Contact ZAU for further advisories.' I queried the controller on what was going on and he only said to contact ZAU on the same frequency that I was on talking to him. My VOR-a approach included radar fixes for the descent points; so I queried the controller again asking him if ZAU could call out the radar fixes; to which he responded yes. I believe that his approach was closing. I have never heard of a class C tower/radar service closing; but I guess this one does. It is appropriately documented in the AFD; but quite vague on what actually happens when this approach control closes and traffic is then controled by ZAU. I feel under no conditions or situations should I be told as a pilot in IMC on an IFR flight plan that radar service is terminated. I am not sure exactly how to fix this or if the controller was even in error. I just know that is a pretty uneasy feeling to hear those words when you are in the middle of the clouds working hard to shoot an approach. So I called ZAU and told him where I was and what I was squawking. I don't remember him ever saying 'radar contact' although he may have and I just don't remember. ZAU cleared me for the VOR-a approach to 2k0. I told him that I needed radar fix callout; to which he responded 'roger.' after some time of being on the inbound leg of the approach; I told the center controller again that I needed radar callouts; to which he replied that he did not have that ability and that he did not have the same type of radar as the approach controller at champaign. About that time I popped out of the clouds and was clear from clouds enough that I could cancel IFR; so I did and landed. Not exactly sure what I should do to make this situation better.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PILOT REPORTS HAVING RADAR SERVICE TERMINATED APPROACHING IAF FOR VOR APPROACH REQUIRING RADAR FOR HIS AIRCRAFT. VMC IS ENCOUNTERED WITHOUT STEPING DOWN AND A SAFE LANDING ENSUES.

Narrative: DURING AN IFR XCOUNTRY FLT; I WAS HANDED OVER TO CMI APCH OVER CHAMPAIGN; IL. I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO 2K0 (MONTICELLO; PIATT COUNTY; IL) FILED FOR THE VOR-A APCH TO THE FIELD. WHEN HANDED TO THE CMI APCH CTLR I STATED MY INTENTIONS TO EXECUTE THE VOR-A APCH AT 2K0. I AM AT AROUND 4000 FT MSL ON V434 E OF CHAMPAIGN WBOUND HDG APPROX 279 DEGS. APPROX 6 MI E OF THE CHAMPAIGN VOR IN HVY IMC ON AN INST FLT PLAN; I WAS TOLD BY THE APCH CTLR 'RADAR SVC TERMINATED; STAY ON CURRENT SQUAWK CODE AND REMAIN ON THE THIS FREQ. CONTACT ZAU FOR FURTHER ADVISORIES.' I QUERIED THE CTLR ON WHAT WAS GOING ON AND HE ONLY SAID TO CONTACT ZAU ON THE SAME FREQ THAT I WAS ON TALKING TO HIM. MY VOR-A APCH INCLUDED RADAR FIXES FOR THE DSCNT POINTS; SO I QUERIED THE CTLR AGAIN ASKING HIM IF ZAU COULD CALL OUT THE RADAR FIXES; TO WHICH HE RESPONDED YES. I BELIEVE THAT HIS APCH WAS CLOSING. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A CLASS C TWR/RADAR SVC CLOSING; BUT I GUESS THIS ONE DOES. IT IS APPROPRIATELY DOCUMENTED IN THE AFD; BUT QUITE VAGUE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS WHEN THIS APCH CTL CLOSES AND TFC IS THEN CTLED BY ZAU. I FEEL UNDER NO CONDITIONS OR SITUATIONS SHOULD I BE TOLD AS A PLT IN IMC ON AN IFR FLT PLAN THAT RADAR SVC IS TERMINATED. I AM NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW TO FIX THIS OR IF THE CTLR WAS EVEN IN ERROR. I JUST KNOW THAT IS A PRETTY UNEASY FEELING TO HEAR THOSE WORDS WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CLOUDS WORKING HARD TO SHOOT AN APCH. SO I CALLED ZAU AND TOLD HIM WHERE I WAS AND WHAT I WAS SQUAWKING. I DON'T REMEMBER HIM EVER SAYING 'RADAR CONTACT' ALTHOUGH HE MAY HAVE AND I JUST DON'T REMEMBER. ZAU CLRED ME FOR THE VOR-A APCH TO 2K0. I TOLD HIM THAT I NEEDED RADAR FIX CALLOUT; TO WHICH HE RESPONDED 'ROGER.' AFTER SOME TIME OF BEING ON THE INBOUND LEG OF THE APCH; I TOLD THE CTR CTLR AGAIN THAT I NEEDED RADAR CALLOUTS; TO WHICH HE REPLIED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THAT ABILITY AND THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF RADAR AS THE APCH CTLR AT CHAMPAIGN. ABOUT THAT TIME I POPPED OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND WAS CLEAR FROM CLOUDS ENOUGH THAT I COULD CANCEL IFR; SO I DID AND LANDED. NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT I SHOULD DO TO MAKE THIS SITUATION BETTER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.