A LOW TIME IFR FLT PLANNED C172 PLT TUNES HIS XPONDER TO CODE 1200 AFTER ZSE CTLR CLRS HIM FOR A VISUAL 15 NM N OF S-21; OR.

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TOWARD THE END OF A 3 HR IFR XCOUNTRY FLT FROM PAE TO S21; I WAS ASKED BY ATC IF I HAD THE S21 ARPT (SUN RIVER; OR) IN SIGHT. WHEN I REPLIED THAT I DID; THE CTLR THEN SAID I WAS 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL.' NOT HAVING TOO MANY HRS OF ACTUALLY XCOUNTRY IFR EXPERIENCE; I THOUGHT THAT MEANT I WAS CLRED TO MAKE A VISUAL APCH TO S21 AND THAT THE CTLR WAS IN EFFECT CANCELING MY IFR FLT PLAN ALSO. IN RETROSPECT; I SEE THAT I ANTICIPATED A BIT TOO MUCH BECAUSE I SWITCHED OVER TO CTAF AT THAT POINT AND SET THE XPONDER TO 1200 IN ANTICIPATION OF MY VISUAL LNDG. UPON SWITCHING OVER; I HEARD THE CTLR TRYING TO CONTACT ME VIA ANOTHER ACFT DEPARTING S21 ON THE CTAF. I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED BACK OVER THE ZSE FREQ AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE CONFUSION I CAUSED. THE CTLR THEN SAID HE WAS CONCERNED THAT HE HAD LOST ME FOR A MIN AND THEN ASKED IF I WANTED TO TERMINATE MY IFR FLT PLAN. I SAID; I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TERMINATE MY PLAN. HE THEN SAID; 'OK' AND DIRECTED ME TO 'SQUAWK 1200.' SINCE THIS FLT; I HAVE REVIEWED MY INST FLT TEXT BOOKS FOR CLARIFICATION ON MY RESPONSIBILITIES WITH REGARD TO CANCELING MY FLT PLAN AT UNCTLED ARPTS WHEN I HAVE BEEN ISSUED A 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL' ATC INSTRUCTION AND AM CLR THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO GET MY FLT PLAN CANCELED PRIOR TO LEAVING ATC AND OR SQUAWKING 1200.