Reporter failed to cancel IFR flight plan with ARTCC.

Attributes
ACN	83694
Time
Date	198803
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : unv
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny artcc : zjx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute airway : zjx enroute airway : zony
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	83694
Person 2
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed university park airport, state college, PA, in VFR conditions on 3/mon/88 at approximately XA35 am local time. I was the sole occupant of small aircraft and was en route to charleston, sc. I planned to fly the trip with another aircraft bearing registration cde. I departed a few mins before cde and intended to communicate with him on an air to air frequency. After several mins, I was unable to reach cde on the prearranged frequency and decided to monitor ny center. I heard ny center attempt to call cde and advised that he may have had radio difficulty and returned to the departure airport. I advised ATC that I wished to proceed along our route of flight and accepted a transponder code and radar advisories. Upon arrival in the charleston area, I was handed off to the charleston approach control and was asked to advise ATC upon cancelling IFR. I did not cancel IFR in flight and was called by ATC by telephone on the ground. I did not cancel IFR because I had not received or accepted an IFR clearance and was proceeding under visual flight rules. I am not instrument rated. I can only assume that there was some confusion on the part of ATC or the pilot of cde as to the clrncs given, received or accepted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER FAILED TO CANCEL IFR FLT PLAN WITH ARTCC.

Narrative: I DEPARTED UNIVERSITY PARK ARPT, STATE COLLEGE, PA, IN VFR CONDITIONS ON 3/MON/88 AT APPROX XA35 AM LCL TIME. I WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF SMA AND WAS ENRTE TO CHARLESTON, SC. I PLANNED TO FLY THE TRIP WITH ANOTHER ACFT BEARING REGISTRATION CDE. I DEPARTED A FEW MINS BEFORE CDE AND INTENDED TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM ON AN AIR TO AIR FREQ. AFTER SEVERAL MINS, I WAS UNABLE TO REACH CDE ON THE PREARRANGED FREQ AND DECIDED TO MONITOR NY CENTER. I HEARD NY CENTER ATTEMPT TO CALL CDE AND ADVISED THAT HE MAY HAVE HAD RADIO DIFFICULTY AND RETURNED TO THE DEP ARPT. I ADVISED ATC THAT I WISHED TO PROCEED ALONG OUR ROUTE OF FLT AND ACCEPTED A TRANSPONDER CODE AND RADAR ADVISORIES. UPON ARR IN THE CHARLESTON AREA, I WAS HANDED OFF TO THE CHARLESTON APCH CTL AND WAS ASKED TO ADVISE ATC UPON CANCELLING IFR. I DID NOT CANCEL IFR IN FLT AND WAS CALLED BY ATC BY TELEPHONE ON THE GND. I DID NOT CANCEL IFR BECAUSE I HAD NOT RECEIVED OR ACCEPTED AN IFR CLRNC AND WAS PROCEEDING UNDER VISUAL FLT RULES. I AM NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON THE PART OF ATC OR THE PLT OF CDE AS TO THE CLRNCS GIVEN, RECEIVED OR ACCEPTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.