Narrative:

We were given so many directs and headings that I thought the ny approach controller gave us a 190 degree heading of sparta VOR and the captain (flying) said, 'no, she gave us direct ewr.' I said that was the first clearance and he said, 'I know, but she gave it again.' then she said, 'right to 210 degree heading. Then on approach outside the OM, the controller said, 'cleared for the approach,' but none of us remember 'contact tower' being said. I was going to call tower when the first officer said, 'gee, there is another plane between us and the runway.' we thought we were following the one touching down, so I forgot to call till a few hundred ft when I asked to confirm landing clearance and approach cleared us to land contact tower. I got distracted by the aircraft popping up between us and the runway and so forgot to call, and the first incident was so many changes, either I missed a call or the captain remembered wrong. We were airborne 12 hours, nrt-ewr, at that point and the captain complained about the traffic, but I felt fine.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW CONFUSION REGARDING CLRNC CHANGES AND TRAFFIC CREATES HEADING DEVIATION AND ALMOST LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN SO MANY DIRECTS AND HDGS THAT I THOUGHT THE NY APCH CTLR GAVE US A 190 DEG HDG OF SPARTA VOR AND THE CAPT (FLYING) SAID, 'NO, SHE GAVE US DIRECT EWR.' I SAID THAT WAS THE FIRST CLRNC AND HE SAID, 'I KNOW, BUT SHE GAVE IT AGAIN.' THEN SHE SAID, 'RIGHT TO 210 DEG HDG. THEN ON APCH OUTSIDE THE OM, THE CTLR SAID, 'CLRED FOR THE APCH,' BUT NONE OF US REMEMBER 'CONTACT TWR' BEING SAID. I WAS GOING TO CALL TWR WHEN THE F/O SAID, 'GEE, THERE IS ANOTHER PLANE BTWN US AND THE RWY.' WE THOUGHT WE WERE FOLLOWING THE ONE TOUCHING DOWN, SO I FORGOT TO CALL TILL A FEW HUNDRED FT WHEN I ASKED TO CONFIRM LNDG CLRNC AND APCH CLRED US TO LAND CONTACT TWR. I GOT DISTRACTED BY THE ACFT POPPING UP BTWN US AND THE RWY AND SO FORGOT TO CALL, AND THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS SO MANY CHANGES, EITHER I MISSED A CALL OR THE CAPT REMEMBERED WRONG. WE WERE AIRBORNE 12 HRS, NRT-EWR, AT THAT POINT AND THE CAPT COMPLAINED ABOUT THE TFC, BUT I FELT FINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.