Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from 3a9 to MSL. The purpose of the trip was to attend an air show/fly-in at courtland, al. Huntsville approach handed me off to ZME, who cleared me to descend to 2400' and told me to expect a visibility approach. I reported the airport in sight approximately 5 mi east and center told me 'radar service terminated, squawk 1200, frequency change to MSL radio 123.6 approved,' to which I replied with aircraft identify. I then diverted to courtland airport, which is approximately 14 NM southeast of MSL. I had to hold south of courtland for approximately 30 mins to allow for a break in the air show and advisory from the air show control frequency with landing instructions. Upon landing at courtland, I was advised by the fly-in ground personnel to call the mem ATC watch supervisor. The watch supervisor told me that I had been lost from their radar and they were concerned that we might have had a problem. He also told me that I had not followed the proper procedure for closing an IFR flight plan at an uncontrolled airport. At this point I realized I had mistakenly taken my acknowledgement of 'radar service terminated...' as a flight closing, when I should have said to mem or MSL radio, 'cancel the IFR.' I apologized to the flight watch supervisor for the situation which had evolved and was advised to be aware in the future of the appropriate procedures for cancelling IFR flight plans at uncontrolled airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FAILED TO CLOSE IFR FLT PLAN, SAYS HE THOUGHT RADAR SERVICE TERMINATE WAS AN AUTOMATIC CLOSER.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM 3A9 TO MSL. THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIP WAS TO ATTEND AN AIR SHOW/FLY-IN AT COURTLAND, AL. HUNTSVILLE APCH HANDED ME OFF TO ZME, WHO CLRED ME TO DSND TO 2400' AND TOLD ME TO EXPECT A VIS APCH. I RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT APPROX 5 MI E AND CENTER TOLD ME 'RADAR SVC TERMINATED, SQUAWK 1200, FREQ CHANGE TO MSL RADIO 123.6 APPROVED,' TO WHICH I REPLIED WITH ACFT IDENT. I THEN DIVERTED TO COURTLAND ARPT, WHICH IS APPROX 14 NM SE OF MSL. I HAD TO HOLD S OF COURTLAND FOR APPROX 30 MINS TO ALLOW FOR A BREAK IN THE AIR SHOW AND ADVISORY FROM THE AIR SHOW CTL FREQ WITH LNDG INSTRUCTIONS. UPON LNDG AT COURTLAND, I WAS ADVISED BY THE FLY-IN GND PERSONNEL TO CALL THE MEM ATC WATCH SUPVR. THE WATCH SUPVR TOLD ME THAT I HAD BEEN LOST FROM THEIR RADAR AND THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE HAD A PROB. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT I HAD NOT FOLLOWED THE PROPER PROC FOR CLOSING AN IFR FLT PLAN AT AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED I HAD MISTAKENLY TAKEN MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF 'RADAR SVC TERMINATED...' AS A FLT CLOSING, WHEN I SHOULD HAVE SAID TO MEM OR MSL RADIO, 'CANCEL THE IFR.' I APOLOGIZED TO THE FLT WATCH SUPVR FOR THE SITUATION WHICH HAD EVOLVED AND WAS ADVISED TO BE AWARE IN THE FUTURE OF THE APPROPRIATE PROCS FOR CANCELLING IFR FLT PLANS AT UNCONTROLLED ARPTS.

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