While IFR, light transport landed without approach clearance.

Attributes
ACN	106690
Time
Date	198903
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : auw
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3170 flight time type : 860
ASRS Report	106690
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Gray, overcast day. On approach to cwa, ZMP providing approach control. Below 4000' MSL radar contact lost. Center asked if we had the airport in sight. When we said no, center cleared us to wausau, central wisconsin. We read back 'cleared to wausau, central wisconsin.' our route of flight took us to the runway centerline, which we saw at 4 mi from the airport. We then executed a visibility approach. Upon landing and calling on the ground to ZMP, we were told that we had not been cleared for the approach. Comments: captain misunderstood clearance limit. He was distracted trying to find the airport because it was difficult to identify as the runways were covered with snow. He thought that clearance to 'wausau to central washington' was an approach clearance. There is no 'central wisconsin' fix, it is only an airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE IFR, LTT LANDED WITHOUT APCH CLRNC.

Narrative: GRAY, OVCST DAY. ON APCH TO CWA, ZMP PROVIDING APCH CTL. BELOW 4000' MSL RADAR CONTACT LOST. CENTER ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WHEN WE SAID NO, CENTER CLRED US TO WAUSAU, CENTRAL WISCONSIN. WE READ BACK 'CLRED TO WAUSAU, CENTRAL WISCONSIN.' OUR ROUTE OF FLT TOOK US TO THE RWY CENTERLINE, WHICH WE SAW AT 4 MI FROM THE ARPT. WE THEN EXECUTED A VIS APCH. UPON LNDG AND CALLING ON THE GND TO ZMP, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED FOR THE APCH. COMMENTS: CAPT MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC LIMIT. HE WAS DISTRACTED TRYING TO FIND THE ARPT BECAUSE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO IDENT AS THE RWYS WERE COVERED WITH SNOW. HE THOUGHT THAT CLRNC TO 'WAUSAU TO CENTRAL WASHINGTON' WAS AN APCH CLRNC. THERE IS NO 'CENTRAL WISCONSIN' FIX, IT IS ONLY AN ARPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.