Narrative:

I was approximately 10 DME ssw of art VOR on an IFR flight roc-art. The ZBW controller instructed me to close my IFR flight plan with him on that frequency or with burlington FSS. He shortly thereafter instructed me to maintain 3000' crossing the art VOR (IAF) and cleared me for approach to watertown. He had informed me previously that he had lost radar contact. During the procedure turn for the ILS 7, I lost radio contact with the controller. I could hear him but he did not acknowledge my responses. I assume I was too low (approximately 2000' MSL) for him to receive me. I changed over to the advisory frequency (122.9) and announced my position and intentions. Upon landing at watertown, I was not aware that burlington FSS could be reached on the ground through the rco at art VOR. I phoned burlington FSS immediately upon parking the airplane, taking approximately 12 mins to get through the automated FSS to be able to speak to a specialist. I closed my IFR flight plan with him. I was later informed by the specialist that ZBW had been 'looking for' me. I assume that ZBW was reserving the airspace until they heard from me. This confusing situation could have been unsafe for me or other traffic in the area if I had not landed and had to declare a missed approach. The situation could have been avoided if the controller had made it clear to me that he expected me to close by radio on the ground and given me a frequency to do so.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DECLARES IGNORANCE REGARDING IFR FLT PLAN CLOSING PROC AFTER ARRIVING AT DESTINATION. NON TWR ARPT WITH CTAF FSS. FAILED TO CLOSE FLT PLAN WITH ZBW THROUGH FSS WHILE IN ACFT. TELEPHONE METHOD PROVED RATHER LENGTHY AND DISRUPTIVE.

Narrative: I WAS APPROX 10 DME SSW OF ART VOR ON AN IFR FLT ROC-ART. THE ZBW CTLR INSTRUCTED ME TO CLOSE MY IFR FLT PLAN WITH HIM ON THAT FREQ OR WITH BURLINGTON FSS. HE SHORTLY THEREAFTER INSTRUCTED ME TO MAINTAIN 3000' XING THE ART VOR (IAF) AND CLRED ME FOR APCH TO WATERTOWN. HE HAD INFORMED ME PREVIOUSLY THAT HE HAD LOST RADAR CONTACT. DURING THE PROC TURN FOR THE ILS 7, I LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH THE CTLR. I COULD HEAR HIM BUT HE DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MY RESPONSES. I ASSUME I WAS TOO LOW (APPROX 2000' MSL) FOR HIM TO RECEIVE ME. I CHANGED OVER TO THE ADVISORY FREQ (122.9) AND ANNOUNCED MY POS AND INTENTIONS. UPON LNDG AT WATERTOWN, I WAS NOT AWARE THAT BURLINGTON FSS COULD BE REACHED ON THE GND THROUGH THE RCO AT ART VOR. I PHONED BURLINGTON FSS IMMEDIATELY UPON PARKING THE AIRPLANE, TAKING APPROX 12 MINS TO GET THROUGH THE AUTOMATED FSS TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO A SPECIALIST. I CLOSED MY IFR FLT PLAN WITH HIM. I WAS LATER INFORMED BY THE SPECIALIST THAT ZBW HAD BEEN 'LOOKING FOR' ME. I ASSUME THAT ZBW WAS RESERVING THE AIRSPACE UNTIL THEY HEARD FROM ME. THIS CONFUSING SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN UNSAFE FOR ME OR OTHER TFC IN THE AREA IF I HAD NOT LANDED AND HAD TO DECLARE A MISSED APCH. THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE CTLR HAD MADE IT CLEAR TO ME THAT HE EXPECTED ME TO CLOSE BY RADIO ON THE GND AND GIVEN ME A FREQ TO DO SO.

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.