Instructor and student pilot cleared into pattern but never received actual landing clearance.

Attributes
ACN	159463
Time
Date	199010
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : arb
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	159463
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While entering a high vol traffic pattern, a left downwind for runway 24 was entered. Due to a conflict of 2 other aircraft ahead of me, tower neglected to issue landing clearance for my aircraft. I queried ATC 3 times, but ATC ignored me and communicated to other aircraft. After the third request to ATC for clearance (I was on short final by this time), I deemed it best for my aircraft to land since no other aircraft were in the vicinity of the landing environment and to clear the pattern and runway. I feel this was appropriate since experience told me that the controller was a trnee (I heard 2 different voices occasionally). This could have been avoided if the trner had not allowed the trnee to handle the conflict (2 aircraft on the runway) to develop into the potential hazard to occur. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states instructions for entering pattern were given and followed. There appeared to be a conflict with 2 aircraft ahead of reporter's. 2 controller voices were on frequency and reporter believed training was in progress. Reporter waited until things were straightened out, then tried to communicate. Said it was like they forgot about him. No comment was ever made by tower, even after landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PLT CLRED INTO PATTERN BUT NEVER RECEIVED ACTUAL LNDG CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE ENTERING A HIGH VOL TFC PATTERN, A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 24 WAS ENTERED. DUE TO A CONFLICT OF 2 OTHER ACFT AHEAD OF ME, TWR NEGLECTED TO ISSUE LNDG CLRNC FOR MY ACFT. I QUERIED ATC 3 TIMES, BUT ATC IGNORED ME AND COMMUNICATED TO OTHER ACFT. AFTER THE THIRD REQUEST TO ATC FOR CLRNC (I WAS ON SHORT FINAL BY THIS TIME), I DEEMED IT BEST FOR MY ACFT TO LAND SINCE NO OTHER ACFT WERE IN THE VICINITY OF THE LNDG ENVIRONMENT AND TO CLR THE PATTERN AND RWY. I FEEL THIS WAS APPROPRIATE SINCE EXPERIENCE TOLD ME THAT THE CTLR WAS A TRNEE (I HEARD 2 DIFFERENT VOICES OCCASIONALLY). THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE TRNER HAD NOT ALLOWED THE TRNEE TO HANDLE THE CONFLICT (2 ACFT ON THE RWY) TO DEVELOP INTO THE POTENTIAL HAZARD TO OCCUR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTERING PATTERN WERE GIVEN AND FOLLOWED. THERE APPEARED TO BE A CONFLICT WITH 2 ACFT AHEAD OF RPTR'S. 2 CTLR VOICES WERE ON FREQ AND RPTR BELIEVED TRNING WAS IN PROGRESS. RPTR WAITED UNTIL THINGS WERE STRAIGHTENED OUT, THEN TRIED TO COMMUNICATE. SAID IT WAS LIKE THEY FORGOT ABOUT HIM. NO COMMENT WAS EVER MADE BY TWR, EVEN AFTER LNDG.

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.