Narrative:

We were at 9000 ft MSL, en route from lax to crq. Approximately 20 NM west of ocn, we were given a crossing restr to be at 5000 ft MSL 15 NM west of ocn, which necessitated a rapid descent. While in the descent, socal directed us to slow from 250 KIAS to 150 KIAS. Usually, we only accept a speed restr this slow on base or final. Socal then switched us to the next controller, who further restr us to 140 KIAS, and said we were #5 for the field. At this point, the captain stated, 'we have the field in sight, cancel IFR, we're proceeding direct to the airport.' the controller acknowledged with 'roger, proceed to the airport.' the captain then said 'leaving 5000 ft,' and the controller again said 'roger.' shortly after that, the controller told us to fly heading 140 degrees. Just after turning to 140 degrees, I spotted a high wing sel cessna at 10 O'clock position, and I called it out to the captain, advising him to come right. After taking action, he advised ATC their vector had created a traffic conflict, and asked if the controller had heard us cancel. The controller said he had not, and gave us a landline number. On the ground, the captain talked to a supervisor at that number, who said 'both' controllers did not hear us cancel IFR. Lessons learned: we assumed the controller's call to proceed direct, and his acknowledgement we were leaving our assigned altitude constituted acknowledgement we had canceled IFR. In the future, we'll get a clear acknowledgement, such as 'squawk VFR' or 'cancellation received,' even when the radios are busy. Fortunately, our vigilance in scanning for traffic paid off, and we will continue to be vigilant VFR or IFR, especially in high controller workload sits. Finally, we won't hesitate to say 'unable' to unreasonable speed restrs. 150 KIAS is very close to our minimum maneuvering speed with 15 degree flaps.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB120 FLC HAS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH A C182 AFTER CANCELING IFR WITH SCT FOR A DIRECT TO THE ARPT E OF CRQ, CA.

Narrative: WE WERE AT 9000 FT MSL, ENRTE FROM LAX TO CRQ. APPROX 20 NM W OF OCN, WE WERE GIVEN A XING RESTR TO BE AT 5000 FT MSL 15 NM W OF OCN, WHICH NECESSITATED A RAPID DSCNT. WHILE IN THE DSCNT, SOCAL DIRECTED US TO SLOW FROM 250 KIAS TO 150 KIAS. USUALLY, WE ONLY ACCEPT A SPD RESTR THIS SLOW ON BASE OR FINAL. SOCAL THEN SWITCHED US TO THE NEXT CTLR, WHO FURTHER RESTR US TO 140 KIAS, AND SAID WE WERE #5 FOR THE FIELD. AT THIS POINT, THE CAPT STATED, 'WE HAVE THE FIELD IN SIGHT, CANCEL IFR, WE'RE PROCEEDING DIRECT TO THE ARPT.' THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED WITH 'ROGER, PROCEED TO THE ARPT.' THE CAPT THEN SAID 'LEAVING 5000 FT,' AND THE CTLR AGAIN SAID 'ROGER.' SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE CTLR TOLD US TO FLY HDG 140 DEGS. JUST AFTER TURNING TO 140 DEGS, I SPOTTED A HIGH WING SEL CESSNA AT 10 O'CLOCK POS, AND I CALLED IT OUT TO THE CAPT, ADVISING HIM TO COME R. AFTER TAKING ACTION, HE ADVISED ATC THEIR VECTOR HAD CREATED A TFC CONFLICT, AND ASKED IF THE CTLR HAD HEARD US CANCEL. THE CTLR SAID HE HAD NOT, AND GAVE US A LANDLINE NUMBER. ON THE GND, THE CAPT TALKED TO A SUPVR AT THAT NUMBER, WHO SAID 'BOTH' CTLRS DID NOT HEAR US CANCEL IFR. LESSONS LEARNED: WE ASSUMED THE CTLR'S CALL TO PROCEED DIRECT, AND HIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WE WERE LEAVING OUR ASSIGNED ALT CONSTITUTED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WE HAD CANCELED IFR. IN THE FUTURE, WE'LL GET A CLR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, SUCH AS 'SQUAWK VFR' OR 'CANCELLATION RECEIVED,' EVEN WHEN THE RADIOS ARE BUSY. FORTUNATELY, OUR VIGILANCE IN SCANNING FOR TFC PAID OFF, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE VIGILANT VFR OR IFR, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH CTLR WORKLOAD SITS. FINALLY, WE WON'T HESITATE TO SAY 'UNABLE' TO UNREASONABLE SPD RESTRS. 150 KIAS IS VERY CLOSE TO OUR MINIMUM MANEUVERING SPD WITH 15 DEG FLAPS.

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.