Narrative:

IFR flight plan from cho to jyo (leesburg executive airport), an uncontrolled airfield, which is located in the dulles int'l airport 'enhanced' class B airspace. WX was cavu. NOTAMS stated no in-flight cancellation of IFR in enhanced B airspace even in VMC. Possible problem, in-flight IFR cancellation in enhanced class B airspace. I was cleared by dulles approach for a visual approach runway 35 at jyo about 15 NM wsw of jyo. At 3000 ft and 6-8 NM from jyo, I contact dulles approach stating that I had visual contact with the airport. I then stated that I'd contact dulles approach on 118.55 (rco) upon landing to cancel and to verify that IFR cancellation was required on the ground (upon landing). The dulles approach controller immediately came back with an IFR cancellation and frequency change approval while I was still airborne, about 6 NM northwest of jyo. What was unusual, however, is that I was not asked to change my transponder to VFR (1200). I maintained my unique transponder code to landing. After landing, I contacted the leesburg FSS, located at jyo, regarding this matter. The FSS stated, based on reported telephone conversations between jyo and dulles approach, that dulles approach was now permitting IFR cancellations in the enhanced class B prior landing at jyo due to traffic congestion problems. I was told, 'not to be concerned' about my in-flight IFR cancellation. The FSS briefer also indicated that some VFR departures were being permitted prior to picking up an IFR clearance. Later that evening I was reviewing a local pilots internet listserv and discovered another area pilot had the same identical problem on the same day. Apparently, he contacted dulles approach directly via telephone the next morning and the supervisor said 'under no circumstances are in-flight IFR cancellation permitted.' PIC may have erred because he assumed there may have been recent changes to in-flight IFR cancellation procedure (NOTAMS) while he was airborne enroute to destination (ie didn't have latest NOTAMS in the cockpit). ATC probably acted to cancel IFR aircraft in-flight based on pre-enhanced class B operations procedures, to expedite traffic and the fact that the WX was cavu. Controller cancelled IFR flight in-flight, violation of NOTAMS, PIC should have insisted that flight not be cancelled until landing (on ground), PIC liable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A 'TRIN' PLT, UPON ADVISING KIAD APCH HE WOULD CANCEL HIS IFR FLT PLAN UPON LNDG, AS PER THE NEW RESTRS, WAS ADVISED HIS IFR CLRNC WAS CANCELLED AND A FREQ CHANGE WAS APPROVED.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN FROM CHO TO JYO (LEESBURG EXECUTIVE ARPT), AN UNCONTROLLED AIRFIELD, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE DULLES INT'L ARPT 'ENHANCED' CLASS B AIRSPACE. WX WAS CAVU. NOTAMS STATED NO INFLT CANCELLATION OF IFR IN ENHANCED B AIRSPACE EVEN IN VMC. POSSIBLE PROB, INFLT IFR CANCELLATION IN ENHANCED CLASS B AIRSPACE. I WAS CLRED BY DULLES APCH FOR A VISUAL APCH RWY 35 AT JYO ABOUT 15 NM WSW OF JYO. AT 3000 FT AND 6-8 NM FROM JYO, I CONTACT DULLES APCH STATING THAT I HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ARPT. I THEN STATED THAT I'D CONTACT DULLES APCH ON 118.55 (RCO) UPON LNDG TO CANCEL AND TO VERIFY THAT IFR CANCELLATION WAS REQUIRED ON THE GND (UPON LNDG). THE DULLES APCH CTLR IMMEDIATELY CAME BACK WITH AN IFR CANCELLATION AND FREQ CHANGE APPROVAL WHILE I WAS STILL AIRBORNE, ABOUT 6 NM NW OF JYO. WHAT WAS UNUSUAL, HOWEVER, IS THAT I WAS NOT ASKED TO CHANGE MY XPONDER TO VFR (1200). I MAINTAINED MY UNIQUE XPONDER CODE TO LNDG. AFTER LNDG, I CONTACTED THE LEESBURG FSS, LOCATED AT JYO, REGARDING THIS MATTER. THE FSS STATED, BASED ON RPTED TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN JYO AND DULLES APCH, THAT DULLES APCH WAS NOW PERMITTING IFR CANCELLATIONS IN THE ENHANCED CLASS B PRIOR LNDG AT JYO DUE TO TFC CONGESTION PROBS. I WAS TOLD, 'NOT TO BE CONCERNED' ABOUT MY INFLT IFR CANCELLATION. THE FSS BRIEFER ALSO INDICATED THAT SOME VFR DEPS WERE BEING PERMITTED PRIOR TO PICKING UP AN IFR CLRNC. LATER THAT EVENING I WAS REVIEWING A LOCAL PLTS INTERNET LISTSERV AND DISCOVERED ANOTHER AREA PLT HAD THE SAME IDENTICAL PROB ON THE SAME DAY. APPARENTLY, HE CONTACTED DULLES APCH DIRECTLY VIA TELEPHONE THE NEXT MORNING AND THE SUPVR SAID 'UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE INFLT IFR CANCELLATION PERMITTED.' PIC MAY HAVE ERRED BECAUSE HE ASSUMED THERE MAY HAVE BEEN RECENT CHANGES TO INFLT IFR CANCELLATION PROC (NOTAMS) WHILE HE WAS AIRBORNE ENROUTE TO DEST (IE DIDN'T HAVE LATEST NOTAMS IN THE COCKPIT). ATC PROBABLY ACTED TO CANCEL IFR ACFT INFLT BASED ON PRE-ENHANCED CLASS B OPS PROCS, TO EXPEDITE TFC AND THE FACT THAT THE WX WAS CAVU. CTLR CANCELLED IFR FLT INFLT, VIOLATION OF NOTAMS, PIC SHOULD HAVE INSISTED THAT FLT NOT BE CANCELLED UNTIL LNDG (ON GND), PIC LIABLE.

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.