Landed without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	176169
Time
Date	199104
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 168 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ric tower : ric
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	176169
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	176065
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My co captain and I am 99% sure we did not get turned over to the tower by the final controller, and unfortunately preoccupied with the ILS approach. We did not catch the fact that the controller had not turned us over to the tower so we technically landed west/O a clearance by the tower! In the past, I have caught these situations but didn't this time! I called the tower when we got in and spoke to the supervisor, and she said there was no conflict and we were clear to land in abstentia! The purpose of this letter is really to follow up that phone call with our version of the story, and yes, as a cya maneuver! If I was asked to extract a lesson from this, it would be not to lock on to one area or event. No matter how intense a situation gets, you have to keep the big picture in sight! A question I would like to ask is legally whose responsibility is to make sure the aircraft gets handed off to the tower? Is it my responsibility as the PIC of the aircraft to make sure I ask to be turned over to the tower so to get the clearance to land, or assume there may be a reason the approach controller wants me to stay with him? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter feels as analyst, it is the pilot's responsibility to ensure landing clearance has been given. Had talked with the tower after the incident and was assured no sep problems. In the future will take the initiative to change over to tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: MY CO CAPT AND I AM 99% SURE WE DID NOT GET TURNED OVER TO THE TWR BY THE FINAL CTLR, AND UNFORTUNATELY PREOCCUPIED WITH THE ILS APCH. WE DID NOT CATCH THE FACT THAT THE CTLR HAD NOT TURNED US OVER TO THE TWR SO WE TECHNICALLY LANDED W/O A CLRNC BY THE TWR! IN THE PAST, I HAVE CAUGHT THESE SITUATIONS BUT DIDN'T THIS TIME! I CALLED THE TWR WHEN WE GOT IN AND SPOKE TO THE SUPVR, AND SHE SAID THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND WE WERE CLR TO LAND IN ABSTENTIA! THE PURPOSE OF THIS LETTER IS REALLY TO FOLLOW UP THAT PHONE CALL WITH OUR VERSION OF THE STORY, AND YES, AS A CYA MANEUVER! IF I WAS ASKED TO EXTRACT A LESSON FROM THIS, IT WOULD BE NOT TO LOCK ON TO ONE AREA OR EVENT. NO MATTER HOW INTENSE A SITUATION GETS, YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE BIG PICTURE IN SIGHT! A QUESTION I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS LEGALLY WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MAKE SURE THE ACFT GETS HANDED OFF TO THE TWR? IS IT MY RESPONSIBILITY AS THE PIC OF THE ACFT TO MAKE SURE I ASK TO BE TURNED OVER TO THE TWR SO TO GET THE CLRNC TO LAND, OR ASSUME THERE MAY BE A REASON THE APCH CTLR WANTS ME TO STAY WITH HIM? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR FEELS AS ANALYST, IT IS THE PLT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE LNDG CLRNC HAS BEEN GIVEN. HAD TALKED WITH THE TWR AFTER THE INCIDENT AND WAS ASSURED NO SEP PROBS. IN THE FUTURE WILL TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO CHANGE OVER TO TWR.

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.