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A low time IFR flight planned C172 pilot tunes his transponder to code 1200 after ZSE controller clears him for a visual 15 NM north of S-21, or.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 583793 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200306 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : s21.airport |
| State Reference | OR |
| Altitude | msl single value : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zse.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 260 flight time type : 240 |
| ASRS Report | 583793 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Toward the end of a 3 hour IFR cross country flight from pae to S21, I was asked by ATC if I had the S21 airport (sun river, or) in sight. When I replied that I did, the controller then said I was 'cleared for the visual.' not having too many hours of actually cross country IFR experience, I thought that meant I was cleared to make a visual approach to S21 and that the controller was in effect canceling my IFR flight plan also. In retrospect, I see that I anticipated a bit too much because I switched over to CTAF at that point and set the transponder to 1200 in anticipation of my visual landing. Upon switching over, I heard the controller trying to contact me via another aircraft departing S21 on the CTAF. I immediately switched back over the ZSE frequency and apologized for the confusion I caused. The controller then said he was concerned that he had lost me for a min and then asked if I wanted to terminate my IFR flight plan. I said, I had the field in sight and that I would like to terminate my plan. He then said, 'ok' and directed me to 'squawk 1200.' since this flight, I have reviewed my instrument flight text books for clarification on my responsibilities with regard to canceling my flight plan at uncontrolled airports when I have been issued a 'cleared for the visual' ATC instruction and am clear that it is my responsibility to get my flight plan canceled prior to leaving ATC and or squawking 1200.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A LOW TIME IFR FLT PLANNED C172 PLT TUNES HIS XPONDER TO CODE 1200 AFTER ZSE CTLR CLRS HIM FOR A VISUAL 15 NM N OF S-21, OR.
Narrative: TOWARD THE END OF A 3 HR IFR XCOUNTRY FLT FROM PAE TO S21, I WAS ASKED BY ATC IF I HAD THE S21 ARPT (SUN RIVER, OR) IN SIGHT. WHEN I REPLIED THAT I DID, THE CTLR THEN SAID I WAS 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL.' NOT HAVING TOO MANY HRS OF ACTUALLY XCOUNTRY IFR EXPERIENCE, I THOUGHT THAT MEANT I WAS CLRED TO MAKE A VISUAL APCH TO S21 AND THAT THE CTLR WAS IN EFFECT CANCELING MY IFR FLT PLAN ALSO. IN RETROSPECT, I SEE THAT I ANTICIPATED A BIT TOO MUCH BECAUSE I SWITCHED OVER TO CTAF AT THAT POINT AND SET THE XPONDER TO 1200 IN ANTICIPATION OF MY VISUAL LNDG. UPON SWITCHING OVER, I HEARD THE CTLR TRYING TO CONTACT ME VIA ANOTHER ACFT DEPARTING S21 ON THE CTAF. I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED BACK OVER THE ZSE FREQ AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE CONFUSION I CAUSED. THE CTLR THEN SAID HE WAS CONCERNED THAT HE HAD LOST ME FOR A MIN AND THEN ASKED IF I WANTED TO TERMINATE MY IFR FLT PLAN. I SAID, I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TERMINATE MY PLAN. HE THEN SAID, 'OK' AND DIRECTED ME TO 'SQUAWK 1200.' SINCE THIS FLT, I HAVE REVIEWED MY INST FLT TEXT BOOKS FOR CLARIFICATION ON MY RESPONSIBILITIES WITH REGARD TO CANCELING MY FLT PLAN AT UNCTLED ARPTS WHEN I HAVE BEEN ISSUED A 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL' ATC INSTRUCTION AND AM CLR THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO GET MY FLT PLAN CANCELED PRIOR TO LEAVING ATC AND OR SQUAWKING 1200.
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.