PA-28 pilot was unable to close flight plan after landing using VHF; cell phone; and no pay phone av...

Narrative:

While descending into lansing (igq) airport; having been cleared for the visual approach by chicago departure on an IFR flight plan; we were told to cancel IFR with him or on the ground. Having been taught to always cancel on the ground (for safety reasons); my copilot (who was working the radios) and I elected to cancel on the ground. We landed at lansing; where we were to take on some fuel. We were then told; contrary to the AFD; that there was no fuel currently available at lansing; and there was at griffith-merrillville. I tried to contact flight service several times with my cell phone to cancel IFR; but was unable to due to poor cell coverage. There wasn't a working pay phone. We elected to take off again (as the 30 min buffer was expiring) and try to contact them from the air. As we swapped seats and took off; I (now the PNF) tried to contact chicago departure on several frequencys; including the one in which we were handed off prior; and was unable to reach anyone. I tried terre haute FSS as well; and was unable to reach anyone. As we were making a visual approach into griffith-merrillville; I tried gary/chicago international tower (gyy) frequency and was finally able to make contact; and close the flight plan. This was approximately 30 mins past our estimated wheels down time. On the next leg of the flight; from griffith-merrillville; we received a call from FSS saying we needed to call the supervisor for chicago departure control upon landing. We did so; and explained what had happened. He let us know that 'a lot of people were involved in trying to find us.' we apologized; and he said he understood what had happened. He said 'nothing more would come of it.' in addition to making sure the AFD is up to date with whether or not an airport has fuel; I think radio coverage for lower altitudes could be improved around the chicago area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA-28 PLT WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE FLIGHT PLAN AFTER LNDG USING VHF; CELL PHONE; AND NO PAY PHONE AVAILABLE. NEITHER WAS FUEL AVAILABLE AS SPECIFIED IN ARPT/FACILITY DIRECTORY. AFTER AIRBORNE AGAIN; NUMEROUS ATC FREQS WERE ATTEMPTED BEFORE SUCCESSFUL CONTACT WITH ATC.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING INTO LANSING (IGQ) ARPT; HAVING BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH BY CHICAGO DEP ON AN IFR FLT PLAN; WE WERE TOLD TO CANCEL IFR WITH HIM OR ON THE GND. HAVING BEEN TAUGHT TO ALWAYS CANCEL ON THE GND (FOR SAFETY REASONS); MY COPLT (WHO WAS WORKING THE RADIOS) AND I ELECTED TO CANCEL ON THE GND. WE LANDED AT LANSING; WHERE WE WERE TO TAKE ON SOME FUEL. WE WERE THEN TOLD; CONTRARY TO THE AFD; THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT LANSING; AND THERE WAS AT GRIFFITH-MERRILLVILLE. I TRIED TO CONTACT FLT SVC SEVERAL TIMES WITH MY CELL PHONE TO CANCEL IFR; BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUE TO POOR CELL COVERAGE. THERE WASN'T A WORKING PAY PHONE. WE ELECTED TO TAKE OFF AGAIN (AS THE 30 MIN BUFFER WAS EXPIRING) AND TRY TO CONTACT THEM FROM THE AIR. AS WE SWAPPED SEATS AND TOOK OFF; I (NOW THE PNF) TRIED TO CONTACT CHICAGO DEP ON SEVERAL FREQS; INCLUDING THE ONE IN WHICH WE WERE HANDED OFF PRIOR; AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE. I TRIED TERRE HAUTE FSS AS WELL; AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE. AS WE WERE MAKING A VISUAL APCH INTO GRIFFITH-MERRILLVILLE; I TRIED GARY/CHICAGO INTL TWR (GYY) FREQ AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT; AND CLOSE THE FLT PLAN. THIS WAS APPROX 30 MINS PAST OUR ESTIMATED WHEELS DOWN TIME. ON THE NEXT LEG OF THE FLT; FROM GRIFFITH-MERRILLVILLE; WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM FSS SAYING WE NEEDED TO CALL THE SUPVR FOR CHICAGO DEP CTL UPON LNDG. WE DID SO; AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE LET US KNOW THAT 'A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN TRYING TO FIND US.' WE APOLOGIZED; AND HE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE SAID 'NOTHING MORE WOULD COME OF IT.' IN ADDITION TO MAKING SURE THE AFD IS UP TO DATE WITH WHETHER OR NOT AN ARPT HAS FUEL; I THINK RADIO COVERAGE FOR LOWER ALTS COULD BE IMPROVED AROUND THE CHICAGO AREA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Attributes
ACN	738507
Time
Date	200705
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : igq.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : post flt
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 155
ASRS Report	738507
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Facility

PA-28 pilot was unable to close flight plan after landing using VHF; cell phone; and no pay phone available. Neither was fuel available as specified in airport/facility directory. After airborne again; numerous ATC frequencys were attempted before successful contact with ATC.