Some confusion between the reporter and controller about IFR cancellation point while on approach.

Attributes
ACN	125078
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : baf airport : 7b2
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 2055
ASRS Report	125078
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was proceeding on the approach coming up on adare fix approximately 6.5 NM from barnes, when the controller said the destination airport was at 12 O'clock and that I could cancel in the air or on the ground. I said I was cancelling, and that I would fly on the approach. The controller then responded 'squawk 1200,' which I did, and then announced downwind runway 32 to northampton CTAF. We went to a local diner for lunch and after return found the attached note on the yoke: 'the FAA called us. You must cancel your IFR in the air or on the ground! You tied up the airspace sector for over 30 mins!' I called FSS and talked to a briefer. After that call, I was able to find bradley's phone # and spoke to the manager and repeated what I have reported here. The manager said he was puzzled as to why the controller gave me a 1200 squawk if he did not think I had cancelled. On prior occasion, some time ago, I was turned over to a tower by approach. My helpful wife, meteorological conditions being VFR, changed squawk to 1200 and tower reported that approach said we should not have changed from the assigned IFR frequency until instructed to do so.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SOME CONFUSION BETWEEN THE REPORTER AND CTLR ABOUT IFR CANCELLATION POINT WHILE ON APCH.

Narrative: I WAS PROCEEDING ON THE APCH COMING UP ON ADARE FIX APPROX 6.5 NM FROM BARNES, WHEN THE CTLR SAID THE DEST ARPT WAS AT 12 O'CLOCK AND THAT I COULD CANCEL IN THE AIR OR ON THE GND. I SAID I WAS CANCELLING, AND THAT I WOULD FLY ON THE APCH. THE CTLR THEN RESPONDED 'SQUAWK 1200,' WHICH I DID, AND THEN ANNOUNCED DOWNWIND RWY 32 TO NORTHAMPTON CTAF. WE WENT TO A LCL DINER FOR LUNCH AND AFTER RETURN FOUND THE ATTACHED NOTE ON THE YOKE: 'THE FAA CALLED US. YOU MUST CANCEL YOUR IFR IN THE AIR OR ON THE GND! YOU TIED UP THE AIRSPACE SECTOR FOR OVER 30 MINS!' I CALLED FSS AND TALKED TO A BRIEFER. AFTER THAT CALL, I WAS ABLE TO FIND BRADLEY'S PHONE # AND SPOKE TO THE MGR AND REPEATED WHAT I HAVE RPTED HERE. THE MGR SAID HE WAS PUZZLED AS TO WHY THE CTLR GAVE ME A 1200 SQUAWK IF HE DID NOT THINK I HAD CANCELLED. ON PRIOR OCCASION, SOME TIME AGO, I WAS TURNED OVER TO A TWR BY APCH. MY HELPFUL WIFE, METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS BEING VFR, CHANGED SQUAWK TO 1200 AND TWR RPTED THAT APCH SAID WE SHOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED FROM THE ASSIGNED IFR FREQ UNTIL INSTRUCTED 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.