Pilot cancels IFR 'through' clearance in error.

Attributes
ACN	117338
Time
Date	198907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dec
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cmi
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	117338
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from spi, il to dec, il. The cmi approach controller gave me a clearance (through) to mdw. After landing at dec I cancelled my IFR not realizing that on a through clearance I shouldn't have cancelled the IFR. I landed, picked up my freight, and departed decatur at about xa. I departed runway 36 and climbed, out of 1500' I called cmi approach. He said 'maintain 5000, direct pontiac VOR when able'. He also gave me a squawk code. I had never heard of a through clearance before. If the controller would have identified it as such, I would have asked him if I should cancel or not. This mistake could have been prevented by better instrument training.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT CANCELS IFR 'THROUGH' CLRNC IN ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM SPI, IL TO DEC, IL. THE CMI APCH CTLR GAVE ME A CLRNC (THROUGH) TO MDW. AFTER LNDG AT DEC I CANCELLED MY IFR NOT REALIZING THAT ON A THROUGH CLRNC I SHOULDN'T HAVE CANCELLED THE IFR. I LANDED, PICKED UP MY FREIGHT, AND DEPARTED DECATUR AT ABOUT XA. I DEPARTED RWY 36 AND CLIMBED, OUT OF 1500' I CALLED CMI APCH. HE SAID 'MAINTAIN 5000, DIRECT PONTIAC VOR WHEN ABLE'. HE ALSO GAVE ME A SQUAWK CODE. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF A THROUGH CLRNC BEFORE. IF THE CTLR WOULD HAVE IDENTIFIED IT AS SUCH, I WOULD HAVE ASKED HIM IF I SHOULD CANCEL OR NOT. THIS MISTAKE COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY BETTER INSTRUMENT TRAINING.

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