Small Transport; Low Wing; 2 Recip Eng
Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25; Flight Crew Total 2674; Flight Crew Type 839
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors
I was VMC on an IFR flight plan; I had the airport in sight at 5000 feet and 10 miles. I request Daytona Approach for cancellation of flight plan. Approach Controller said request this with next controller. I was given a frequency. I tried contacting approach on given frequency. There was a lot of communication on the frequency; but I could not get a response and indicated several times I had the field in site and wanted to cancel my IFR. I was avoiding a power plant nearby and restricted airspace and needed to descend. I was entering a downwind for Runway 9 at 5000 feet. I saw an airplane approaching below my altitude at approximately 4000 feet. Since I could not get a response from the controller on the given frequency; I went back to Daytona Approach. Said I could not make contact and needed to cancel. The controller responded with a different frequency and again would not accept my request to cancel my IFR flight plan. I descended to 4500 feet as the aircraft was in sight and under my plane. I simultaneously contacted Jacksonville Approach on the new frequency. Controller responded as asked if I was VFR or IFR since I checked in at 4500 feet. I said I again needed to cancel. He indicated I was close to the aircraft beneath me. I said I was trying for some time with the previous controller to cancel IFR; given then the wrong frequency and again requested to cancel. He asked again if I was VFR or IFR. I responded I had the airport in sight and needed to cancel. He said I came too close to another IFR aircraft. I apologized twice and still requested cancellation. I was past the airport; had it in sight and needed to cancel. He accepted cancellation. I was aware he was upset with me; but in the future I guess I will not descend until I can reach someone to cancel. In this situation however I believe the controller should allow one to cancel and advise me with traffic that could be close by. Hopefully controllers in this situation are understanding of the situation like this.
Light twin pilot on an IFR flight plan in VMC reported descending to 4;500 feet from 5;000 feet after several attempts to cancel IFR with ATC.