MTR X landed without clearance. Pilot deviation.

Attributes
ACN	123561
Time
Date	198909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjt
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Trainer
Flight Phase	landing other
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	123561
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

MTR X was the third in a flight of 3 MTR's. I was working local control and ground combined on local. Traffic was moderate and I was sequencing MTR X #2 in sequence to follow small aircraft Y, who was on about 1 1/2-2 mi final to runway 18. MTR X made a right 360 degrees through final approach to provide spacing behind the small aircraft. MTR X had the small aircraft in sight and was told #2 to follow that traffic, cleared for the option. The small aircraft X seemed to stop dead on final and MTR X was rapidly closing on him. I waved MTR X off due to insufficient runway sep and told him to parallel left side. MTR X replied that he could not and would land due to fuel or lack of--and he did. There was, I would estimate, less than 500' runway sep. Had MTR X told me he was low on gas, I would have made him #1 to land. MTR X never told me of any minimum fuel status or that he needed to land in a bad way. He called the tower up on the phone shortly after landing and apologized, and said that he just had to land then and he figured it was safe (from his perspective) to do so.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MTR X LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC. PLT DEVIATION.

Narrative: MTR X WAS THE THIRD IN A FLT OF 3 MTR'S. I WAS WORKING LCL CTL AND GND COMBINED ON LCL. TFC WAS MODERATE AND I WAS SEQUENCING MTR X #2 IN SEQUENCE TO FOLLOW SMA Y, WHO WAS ON ABOUT 1 1/2-2 MI FINAL TO RWY 18. MTR X MADE A RIGHT 360 DEGS THROUGH FINAL APCH TO PROVIDE SPACING BEHIND THE SMA. MTR X HAD THE SMA IN SIGHT AND WAS TOLD #2 TO FOLLOW THAT TFC, CLRED FOR THE OPTION. THE SMA X SEEMED TO STOP DEAD ON FINAL AND MTR X WAS RAPIDLY CLOSING ON HIM. I WAVED MTR X OFF DUE TO INSUFFICIENT RWY SEP AND TOLD HIM TO PARALLEL LEFT SIDE. MTR X REPLIED THAT HE COULD NOT AND WOULD LAND DUE TO FUEL OR LACK OF--AND HE DID. THERE WAS, I WOULD ESTIMATE, LESS THAN 500' RWY SEP. HAD MTR X TOLD ME HE WAS LOW ON GAS, I WOULD HAVE MADE HIM #1 TO LAND. MTR X NEVER TOLD ME OF ANY MINIMUM FUEL STATUS OR THAT HE NEEDED TO LAND IN A BAD WAY. HE CALLED THE TWR UP ON THE PHONE SHORTLY AFTER LNDG AND APOLOGIZED, AND SAID THAT HE JUST HAD TO LAND THEN AND HE FIGURED IT WAS SAFE (FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE) TO DO SO.

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.