Commuter captain cancels IFR flight plan illegally.

Attributes
ACN	249351
Time
Date	199308
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orh
State Reference	MA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	249351
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After takeoff the captain cancelled IFR and went VFR direct from orh to phl without contacting dispatch which is a violation of part 121 regulations. I was unaware of this until after the trip. It's usually a given that the captain will get approval via telephone before the flight starts, but this individual seems to have problems with the rules. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states captain actually did this 3 times in 1 day. Captain has been counseled by chief pilot and is on thin ice as on probation for other problems. Reporter distressed that they were up there VFR among air carrier aircraft with the TCASII going off like crazy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER CAPT CANCELS IFR FLT PLAN ILLEGALLY.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF THE CAPT CANCELLED IFR AND WENT VFR DIRECT FROM ORH TO PHL WITHOUT CONTACTING DISPATCH WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF PART 121 REGS. I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS UNTIL AFTER THE TRIP. IT'S USUALLY A GIVEN THAT THE CAPT WILL GET APPROVAL VIA TELEPHONE BEFORE THE FLT STARTS, BUT THIS INDIVIDUAL SEEMS TO HAVE PROBS WITH THE RULES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES CAPT ACTUALLY DID THIS 3 TIMES IN 1 DAY. CAPT HAS BEEN COUNSELED BY CHIEF PLT AND IS ON THIN ICE AS ON PROBATION FOR OTHER PROBS. RPTR DISTRESSED THAT THEY WERE UP THERE VFR AMONG ACR ACFT WITH THE TCASII GOING OFF LIKE CRAZY.

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.