Narrative:

While operating as PIC on flight tlh to tpa, we were handed over to tampa tower from approach control. The first officer was handling radio duties while I was trying to control the aircraft in strong xwinds. I thought I heard the controller's 'cleared to land' radio transmission. After landing in strong winds and clearing the runway, the tower controller informed us that we had been cleared to land 'in the blind'. As captain of the aircraft I was disturbed by this incident. I questioned what had happened. It seemed that the tower did not hear our request for landing clearance. Since it was our intention to land, they issued the cleared to land clearance in the blind to assist us should be experiencing radio problems. Upon arrival at the gate I requested maintenance check our radios and the first officer microphone. The mechanics replaced the first officer microphone and I contacted the ATC facility to explain to them that I was concerned about this event. I was told by the ground controller on duty at the time that there was no problem whatsoever. As PIC of the aircraft and as the PF, my attention was primarily directed on controling the aircraft. However, I suspect my first officer's explanation of his actions may not have been forthright. The first officer was disturbed throughout the rip about his upcoming furlough. I was not insensitive to his concerns for his future, but I made it clear that the safety of the passengers was my primary concern. I suspect that the first officer either did have a malfunctioning microphone, or a lapse in attention thinking about the impending furlough.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLC LANDED TPA WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING LNDG CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE OPERATING AS PIC ON FLT TLH TO TPA, WE WERE HANDED OVER TO TAMPA TWR FROM APCH CTL. THE F/O WAS HANDLING RADIO DUTIES WHILE I WAS TRYING TO CTL THE ACFT IN STRONG XWINDS. I THOUGHT I HEARD THE CTLR'S 'CLRED TO LAND' RADIO XMISSION. AFTER LNDG IN STRONG WINDS AND CLRING THE RWY, THE TWR CTLR INFORMED US THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND 'IN THE BLIND'. AS CAPT OF THE ACFT I WAS DISTURBED BY THIS INCIDENT. I QUESTIONED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. IT SEEMED THAT THE TWR DID NOT HEAR OUR REQUEST FOR LNDG CLRNC. SINCE IT WAS OUR INTENTION TO LAND, THEY ISSUED THE CLRED TO LAND CLRNC IN THE BLIND TO ASSIST US SHOULD BE EXPERIENCING RADIO PROBS. UPON ARR AT THE GATE I REQUESTED MAINT CHK OUR RADIOS AND THE F/O MICROPHONE. THE MECHS REPLACED THE F/O MICROPHONE AND I CONTACTED THE ATC FAC TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS EVENT. I WAS TOLD BY THE GND CTLR ON DUTY AT THE TIME THAT THERE WAS NO PROB WHATSOEVER. AS PIC OF THE ACFT AND AS THE PF, MY ATTN WAS PRIMARILY DIRECTED ON CTLING THE ACFT. HOWEVER, I SUSPECT MY F/O'S EXPLANATION OF HIS ACTIONS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FORTHRIGHT. THE F/O WAS DISTURBED THROUGHOUT THE RIP ABOUT HIS UPCOMING FURLOUGH. I WAS NOT INSENSITIVE TO HIS CONCERNS FOR HIS FUTURE, BUT I MADE IT CLR THAT THE SAFETY OF THE PAXS WAS MY PRIMARY CONCERN. I SUSPECT THAT THE F/O EITHER DID HAVE A MALFUNCTIONING MICROPHONE, OR A LAPSE IN ATTN THINKING ABOUT THE IMPENDING FURLOUGH.

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.