Narrative:

During 20 mi final aircraft was talking to approach control and cleared for ILS 27. High density traffic and communications, speed adjustments, following closely behind another aircraft. Approach failed to hand us over to the tower and we landed west/O landing clearance. It was not until we switched to ground control (after clearing runway) that we realized we were still on approach frequency. With high density traffic and close aircraft, all heads were outside the aircraft. Failure on our part to notice the error and failure for approach (which was busy) to hand us off. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Callback was placed as part of a structured callback study on runway incursions. Reporter emphasized that conditions were very busy with a complex traffic situation confronting ATC. This included tightly spaced aircraft on final, parallel runway operations, and additional departing traffic. Reporter contends that the traffic situation at iah can get the better of the controllers there. He suggests that a 'cleared to land' item be added to the flight crew's checklists.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT LNDG AT IAH DOES NOT GET HANDOFF TO TWR FROM APCH CTLR AND LANDS WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING 20 MI FINAL ACFT WAS TALKING TO APCH CTL AND CLRED FOR ILS 27. HIGH DENSITY TFC AND COMS, SPD ADJUSTMENTS, FOLLOWING CLOSELY BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT. APCH FAILED TO HAND US OVER TO THE TWR AND WE LANDED W/O LNDG CLRNC. IT WAS NOT UNTIL WE SWITCHED TO GND CTL (AFTER CLRING RWY) THAT WE REALIZED WE WERE STILL ON APCH FREQ. WITH HIGH DENSITY TFC AND CLOSE ACFT, ALL HEADS WERE OUTSIDE THE ACFT. FAILURE ON OUR PART TO NOTICE THE ERROR AND FAILURE FOR APCH (WHICH WAS BUSY) TO HAND US OFF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. CALLBACK WAS PLACED AS PART OF A STRUCTURED CALLBACK STUDY ON RWY INCURSIONS. RPTR EMPHASIZED THAT CONDITIONS WERE VERY BUSY WITH A COMPLEX TFC SITUATION CONFRONTING ATC. THIS INCLUDED TIGHTLY SPACED ACFT ON FINAL, PARALLEL RWY OPS, AND ADDITIONAL DEPARTING TFC. RPTR CONTENDS THAT THE TFC SITUATION AT IAH CAN GET THE BETTER OF THE CTLRS THERE. HE SUGGESTS THAT A 'CLRED TO LAND' ITEM BE ADDED TO THE FLT CREW'S CHKLISTS.

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.