Refused rerouting due flight overwater in single engine aircraft, cancelled IFR.

Attributes
ACN	92942
Time
Date	198808
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bos
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 3300
ASRS Report	92942
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

IFR flight from bar harbor, me, to nantucket. Filed and cleared from bos VOR direct martha's vineyard direct nantucket. VFR WX. Estimated 25-30 mi south of boston, new clearance: direct hyannis V141 nantucket. Requested routing that would keep me closer to land (single engine). Departure unable. Requested IFR cancellation and traffic advisories. Departure provided advisory services. I assumed I was clear of the TCA on IFR cancellation or departure would have advised me otherwise. (No DME on board.) is this correct? In the event I was still in the TCA, does acceptance of cancellation and provision of VFR advisories constitute permission to continue through the TCA? If I was outside the TCA on cancellation, as I believe to be the case, or the answer to either question is 'yes,' there should be no violation of TCA. Otherwise there may have been a violation. I've asked 2 FSS stations the answers to these questions and they didn't know. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter advised in callback that both the pilot and the controller have a responsibility to insure each understands what is expected. In other words, if the pilot cancels an IFR in the TCA, the controller should issue instructions if he wants him to exit the TCA, descend or heading change, or the pilot should request clearance to proceed through the TCA or exit. Since he was IFR at the time of the cancellation he is legally in the TCA and because he could not accept the routing change and cancels, you can't say he is now in violation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REFUSED REROUTING DUE FLT OVERWATER IN SINGLE ENGINE ACFT, CANCELLED IFR.

Narrative: IFR FLT FROM BAR HARBOR, ME, TO NANTUCKET. FILED AND CLRED FROM BOS VOR DIRECT MARTHA'S VINEYARD DIRECT NANTUCKET. VFR WX. ESTIMATED 25-30 MI S OF BOSTON, NEW CLRNC: DIRECT HYANNIS V141 NANTUCKET. REQUESTED ROUTING THAT WOULD KEEP ME CLOSER TO LAND (SINGLE ENG). DEP UNABLE. REQUESTED IFR CANCELLATION AND TFC ADVISORIES. DEP PROVIDED ADVISORY SVCS. I ASSUMED I WAS CLR OF THE TCA ON IFR CANCELLATION OR DEP WOULD HAVE ADVISED ME OTHERWISE. (NO DME ON BOARD.) IS THIS CORRECT? IN THE EVENT I WAS STILL IN THE TCA, DOES ACCEPTANCE OF CANCELLATION AND PROVISION OF VFR ADVISORIES CONSTITUTE PERMISSION TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE TCA? IF I WAS OUTSIDE THE TCA ON CANCELLATION, AS I BELIEVE TO BE THE CASE, OR THE ANSWER TO EITHER QUESTION IS 'YES,' THERE SHOULD BE NO VIOLATION OF TCA. OTHERWISE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A VIOLATION. I'VE ASKED 2 FSS STATIONS THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR ADVISED IN CALLBACK THAT BOTH THE PLT AND THE CTLR HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO INSURE EACH UNDERSTANDS WHAT IS EXPECTED. IN OTHER WORDS, IF THE PLT CANCELS AN IFR IN THE TCA, THE CTLR SHOULD ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS IF HE WANTS HIM TO EXIT THE TCA, DSND OR HDG CHANGE, OR THE PLT SHOULD REQUEST CLRNC TO PROCEED THROUGH THE TCA OR EXIT. SINCE HE WAS IFR AT THE TIME OF THE CANCELLATION HE IS LEGALLY IN THE TCA AND BECAUSE HE COULD NOT ACCEPT THE ROUTING CHANGE AND CANCELS, YOU CAN'T SAY HE IS NOW IN VIOLATION.

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.