SMA GA PLT DISREGARDS PCT CLRNC AND CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO REMAIN ON DISCRETE CODE WHEN CLRED TO CHANGE FREQ TO LAND AT UNCTLED ARPT IN THE DC ADIZ; REQUIRING A FOLLOW-UP CALL TO PCT TO EXPLAIN ACTION.

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AT APPROX XA00; I FILED AN INST FLT PLAN FOR THE NEXT DAY. THE FLT WAS TO BEGIN AT XA00; TAKING ME INTO AN UNCTLED FIELD WITHIN THE WASHINGTON/BALTIMORE ADIZ. MY CLRNC INCLUDED A DISCRETE CODE AND I ARRIVED AT MY DEST ARPT (GAITHERSBERG; MD) AT APPROX XB30 WITH VECTORS FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APCH. AS I DSNDED; I BROKE INTO CLR VFR WITH A SHORT DISTANCE TO FINAL. I NOTIFIED APCH AND HE AND HE AND HE TURNED ME LOOSE TO LAND. SINCE THE CTLR WAS DONE WITH ME; I THEN ABANDONED THE DISCRETE CODE I HAD BEEN ASSIGNED AND SQUAWKED 1200. I WAS ABOUT 400 FT ABOVE THE GND. AFTER LNDG; I WAS ASKED TO CALL APCH CTL ON THE PHONE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RULES REQUIRED ME TO MAINTAIN THE DISCRETE CODE TO THE GND. I RECALLED THEN THAT THE CTLR HAD SAID THAT WHEN HE TURNED ME LOOSE; BUT FOR SOME REASON; IT DIDN'T REGISTER. PERHAPS BECAUSE I OFTEN WILL CANCEL AN IFR CLRNC; SQUAWK 1200; AND LAND VFR WHEN THE LNDG IS ASSURED. AS I SAID; THAT DIRECTIVE FROM THE APCH CTLR DIDN'T REGISTER FOR SOME REASON; PERHAPS REFLECTING THE NUMEROUS TIMES I HAVE CANCELED IFR WHEN LNDG IN THE CLR AND HAVING A MIND SET THAT THIS WAS THE SAME.