PA-28 PLT WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE FLIGHT PLAN AFTER LNDG USING VHF; CELL PHONE; AND NO PAY PHONE AVAILABLE. NEITHER WAS FUEL AVAILABLE AS SPECIFIED IN ARPT/FACILITY DIRECTORY. AFTER AIRBORNE AGAIN; NUMEROUS ATC FREQS WERE ATTEMPTED BEFORE SUCCESSFUL CONTACT WITH ATC.

Narrative

WHILE DSNDING INTO LANSING (IGQ) ARPT; HAVING BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH BY CHICAGO DEP ON AN IFR FLT PLAN; WE WERE TOLD TO CANCEL IFR WITH HIM OR ON THE GND. HAVING BEEN TAUGHT TO ALWAYS CANCEL ON THE GND (FOR SAFETY REASONS); MY COPLT (WHO WAS WORKING THE RADIOS) AND I ELECTED TO CANCEL ON THE GND. WE LANDED AT LANSING; WHERE WE WERE TO TAKE ON SOME FUEL. WE WERE THEN TOLD; CONTRARY TO THE AFD; THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT LANSING; AND THERE WAS AT GRIFFITH-MERRILLVILLE. I TRIED TO CONTACT FLT SVC SEVERAL TIMES WITH MY CELL PHONE TO CANCEL IFR; BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUE TO POOR CELL COVERAGE. THERE WASN'T A WORKING PAY PHONE. WE ELECTED TO TAKE OFF AGAIN (AS THE 30 MIN BUFFER WAS EXPIRING) AND TRY TO CONTACT THEM FROM THE AIR. AS WE SWAPPED SEATS AND TOOK OFF; I (NOW THE PNF) TRIED TO CONTACT CHICAGO DEP ON SEVERAL FREQS; INCLUDING THE ONE IN WHICH WE WERE HANDED OFF PRIOR; AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE. I TRIED TERRE HAUTE FSS AS WELL; AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE. AS WE WERE MAKING A VISUAL APCH INTO GRIFFITH-MERRILLVILLE; I TRIED GARY/CHICAGO INTL TWR (GYY) FREQ AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT; AND CLOSE THE FLT PLAN. THIS WAS APPROX 30 MINS PAST OUR ESTIMATED WHEELS DOWN TIME. ON THE NEXT LEG OF THE FLT; FROM GRIFFITH-MERRILLVILLE; WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM FSS SAYING WE NEEDED TO CALL THE SUPVR FOR CHICAGO DEP CTL UPON LNDG. WE DID SO; AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE LET US KNOW THAT 'A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN TRYING TO FIND US.' WE APOLOGIZED; AND HE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE SAID 'NOTHING MORE WOULD COME OF IT.' IN ADDITION TO MAKING SURE THE AFD IS UP TO DATE WITH WHETHER OR NOT AN ARPT HAS FUEL; I THINK RADIO COVERAGE FOR LOWER ALTS COULD BE IMPROVED AROUND THE CHICAGO AREA.