Narrative:

Received vectors for visibility final runway 26R at den. After reporting visibility contact with 3 other aircraft ahead and parallel for 26L, approach cleared us for visibility 26R on a 1 mi base to a 5 mi final. At this moment, a passenger got up and despite verbal warnings from F/a, entered rear lav. (F/a's were already seated and prepared for landing.) F/a called cockpit and reported this to first officer. He informed me (I was flying) and asked instructions. I instructed for F/a to attempt to extract passenger from lav immediately and report back as soon as possible. I briefed first officer on go around if not informed of passenger seated by 500' AGL. F/a called back approximately 90 seconds later (we were at 600' AGL) and reported passenger seat. Final check was completed by 500' AGL and at approximately 200' AGL I asked first officer to confirm (to me) that we were on tower frequency and cleared to land. He responded affirmative. I knew runway was clear and aircraft on parallel were clear as well. On rollout from landing I heard approach control and realized we were indeed not on tower frequency and had not heard our landing clearance. I called tower on and landline and they said 'no problem.' the interruption of the sterile cockpit at a critical time coupled with denver routine of tight visuals with late or no instruction to contact tower contributed to our failure to do so. I debriefed F/a. I know of 2 other crews who have also landed while still on approach frequency on tight visuals at den. Hopefully, we've all learned from our mistakes--maybe this will help others as well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PASSENGER IN TOILET ON CLOSE FINAL CAUSED DISTR TO FLT CREW WHEN REPORTED BY CABIN ATTENDANT AND LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: RECEIVED VECTORS FOR VIS FINAL RWY 26R AT DEN. AFTER RPTING VIS CONTACT WITH 3 OTHER ACFT AHEAD AND PARALLEL FOR 26L, APCH CLRED US FOR VIS 26R ON A 1 MI BASE TO A 5 MI FINAL. AT THIS MOMENT, A PAX GOT UP AND DESPITE VERBAL WARNINGS FROM F/A, ENTERED REAR LAV. (F/A'S WERE ALREADY SEATED AND PREPARED FOR LNDG.) F/A CALLED COCKPIT AND RPTED THIS TO F/O. HE INFORMED ME (I WAS FLYING) AND ASKED INSTRUCTIONS. I INSTRUCTED FOR F/A TO ATTEMPT TO EXTRACT PAX FROM LAV IMMEDIATELY AND RPT BACK ASAP. I BRIEFED F/O ON GAR IF NOT INFORMED OF PAX SEATED BY 500' AGL. F/A CALLED BACK APPROX 90 SECS LATER (WE WERE AT 600' AGL) AND RPTED PAX SEAT. FINAL CHK WAS COMPLETED BY 500' AGL AND AT APPROX 200' AGL I ASKED F/O TO CONFIRM (TO ME) THAT WE WERE ON TWR FREQ AND CLRED TO LAND. HE RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVE. I KNEW RWY WAS CLR AND ACFT ON PARALLEL WERE CLR AS WELL. ON ROLLOUT FROM LNDG I HEARD APCH CTL AND REALIZED WE WERE INDEED NOT ON TWR FREQ AND HAD NOT HEARD OUR LNDG CLRNC. I CALLED TWR ON AND LANDLINE AND THEY SAID 'NO PROB.' THE INTERRUPTION OF THE STERILE COCKPIT AT A CRITICAL TIME COUPLED WITH DENVER ROUTINE OF TIGHT VISUALS WITH LATE OR NO INSTRUCTION TO CONTACT TWR CONTRIBUTED TO OUR FAILURE TO DO SO. I DEBRIEFED F/A. I KNOW OF 2 OTHER CREWS WHO HAVE ALSO LANDED WHILE STILL ON APCH FREQ ON TIGHT VISUALS AT DEN. HOPEFULLY, WE'VE ALL LEARNED FROM OUR MISTAKES--MAYBE THIS WILL HELP OTHERS AS WELL.

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.