int  nRc;
void *perfDataHandle;

/* Initialization and obtaining data to be done here */

nRc = papi_free_perf_data(perfDataHandle);

if (nRc != PAPI_OK)
{
   printf("Error in papi_free_perf_data : %d\n", nRc );
}
else
{
   /*  everything is ok so far ... */
}