Narrative:

While acting as a CFI in a C172 with a private pilot working on an instrument rating, a flight plan was filed from 23N to oxc, IFR. During the flight, we requested the NDB 18 oxc full approach into oxc airport and was granted the request. During the approach, before reaching the IAF, the approach controller called out that radar coverage was lost and that we should cancel our IFR flight plan either in the air or on the ground. We had already made the decision that we would cancel on the ground, and, in my opinion, is safer than canceling while airborne. Upon turning for the final approach, inside the FAF, my instrument student decided he could not make the landing safely and executed a go around. We were in VFR conditions and decided to make left traffic to runway 18 by executing a left turn onto the downwind. Upon doing this, a person waiting to take off complained that we were taking too much time to land and further called approach control to advise them that we were doing touch and goes. I tried to cancel my IFR flight plan in the air, and was told to call a number when I got on the ground. I tried to call the number and got no answer. I further called FSS (1-800-WX-brief) to cancel and inquire about the number I was supposed to call. FSS called the number for me and verified that everything was fine and not to worry. It was my understanding that it was our airspace when cleared for the full NDB approach into the airport at oxc and canceled when we got on the ground. When traveling back later, approach control informed me that I would have to call again to discuss the problem. They somehow never received my cancellation from FSS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CFI AND HIS STUDENT MISS AND APCH ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. CANCELLATION OF THE IFR FLT PLAN TURNS INTO A PROB.

Narrative: WHILE ACTING AS A CFI IN A C172 WITH A PVT PLT WORKING ON AN INST RATING, A FLT PLAN WAS FILED FROM 23N TO OXC, IFR. DURING THE FLT, WE REQUESTED THE NDB 18 OXC FULL APCH INTO OXC ARPT AND WAS GRANTED THE REQUEST. DURING THE APCH, BEFORE REACHING THE IAF, THE APCH CTLR CALLED OUT THAT RADAR COVERAGE WAS LOST AND THAT WE SHOULD CANCEL OUR IFR FLT PLAN EITHER IN THE AIR OR ON THE GND. WE HAD ALREADY MADE THE DECISION THAT WE WOULD CANCEL ON THE GND, AND, IN MY OPINION, IS SAFER THAN CANCELING WHILE AIRBORNE. UPON TURNING FOR THE FINAL APCH, INSIDE THE FAF, MY INST STUDENT DECIDED HE COULD NOT MAKE THE LNDG SAFELY AND EXECUTED A GAR. WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS AND DECIDED TO MAKE L TFC TO RWY 18 BY EXECUTING A L TURN ONTO THE DOWNWIND. UPON DOING THIS, A PERSON WAITING TO TAKE OFF COMPLAINED THAT WE WERE TAKING TOO MUCH TIME TO LAND AND FURTHER CALLED APCH CTL TO ADVISE THEM THAT WE WERE DOING TOUCH AND GOES. I TRIED TO CANCEL MY IFR FLT PLAN IN THE AIR, AND WAS TOLD TO CALL A NUMBER WHEN I GOT ON THE GND. I TRIED TO CALL THE NUMBER AND GOT NO ANSWER. I FURTHER CALLED FSS (1-800-WX-BRIEF) TO CANCEL AND INQUIRE ABOUT THE NUMBER I WAS SUPPOSED TO CALL. FSS CALLED THE NUMBER FOR ME AND VERIFIED THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND NOT TO WORRY. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS OUR AIRSPACE WHEN CLRED FOR THE FULL NDB APCH INTO THE ARPT AT OXC AND CANCELED WHEN WE GOT ON THE GND. WHEN TRAVELING BACK LATER, APCH CTL INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CALL AGAIN TO DISCUSS THE PROB. THEY SOMEHOW NEVER RECEIVED MY CANCELLATION FROM FSS.

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.