Reporter was unable to cancel his IFR flight plan with a non federal control tower.

Attributes
ACN	92273
Time
Date	198808
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : srr
State Reference	NM
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab tower : srr
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	92273
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Clearance limit was tracc intersection located on the roswell VOR 263 degree radial 40 DME. Our destination airport was sierra blanca regl (south.right.right.). The area was covered with thunderstorms. Altitude assigned was 10,000 MSL 8 mi east of tracc intersection. It became apparent we could not fly to our clearance limit due to a large thunderstorm. From this point, we could see the airport. Attempted to advise center we were visual with the airport and wanted to cancel IFR. We could not contact center, for reasons unknown. We contacted the tower (NFCT), asked them to please call center for us and advise that we were VFR at the airport and proceeding to land. The tower advised us that he did not contact center or have access to center because the tower was (NFCT). We were monitoring center frequency also, and through an aircraft relay were able to cancel IFR and advise center of our position. This airport is new and because of its location, will become very busy during the horse race days and snow season. If the tower has no access to center, we are courting a disaster out there one of these days.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER WAS UNABLE TO CANCEL HIS IFR FLT PLAN WITH A NON FEDERAL CTL TWR.

Narrative: CLRNC LIMIT WAS TRACC INTXN LOCATED ON THE ROSWELL VOR 263 DEG RADIAL 40 DME. OUR DEST ARPT WAS SIERRA BLANCA REGL (S.R.R.). THE AREA WAS COVERED WITH TSTMS. ALT ASSIGNED WAS 10,000 MSL 8 MI E OF TRACC INTXN. IT BECAME APPARENT WE COULD NOT FLY TO OUR CLRNC LIMIT DUE TO A LARGE TSTM. FROM THIS POINT, WE COULD SEE THE ARPT. ATTEMPTED TO ADVISE CENTER WE WERE VISUAL WITH THE ARPT AND WANTED TO CANCEL IFR. WE COULD NOT CONTACT CENTER, FOR REASONS UNKNOWN. WE CONTACTED THE TWR (NFCT), ASKED THEM TO PLEASE CALL CENTER FOR US AND ADVISE THAT WE WERE VFR AT THE ARPT AND PROCEEDING TO LAND. THE TWR ADVISED US THAT HE DID NOT CONTACT CENTER OR HAVE ACCESS TO CENTER BECAUSE THE TWR WAS (NFCT). WE WERE MONITORING CENTER FREQ ALSO, AND THROUGH AN ACFT RELAY WERE ABLE TO CANCEL IFR AND ADVISE CENTER OF OUR POS. THIS ARPT IS NEW AND BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION, WILL BECOME VERY BUSY DURING THE HORSE RACE DAYS AND SNOW SEASON. IF THE TWR HAS NO ACCESS TO CENTER, WE ARE COURTING A DISASTER OUT THERE ONE OF THESE DAYS.

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.