Narrative:

During approach to cle we were on vectors to intercept ILS 28 at 3000 ft which we did. We began to encounter precipitation, freezing rain and snow. We were cleared for the approach and to contact tower at parma. As we approached parma we were told to keep 170 KTS to parma. Our bug speed was 121 KTS. Approaching parma LOM we began to experience light turbulence. Our airspeed dropped -20 KTS and gained +30 KTS maximum. The GS intercept moved very fast to center of bulls eye with over 1000 ft descent to stay on GS. There was also 20 degree crab and fluctuating to stay on localizer. This was very distracting to us and to other aircraft on approach. We placed a lot of concentration on maneuvering the aircraft on the GS and localizer and failed to change over to tower at the marker. In the meantime other aircraft had started to request runway 5 which made me wonder if we were legal for a crosswind landing on 28. Approach was giving winds of 360 degrees at 18 KTS which was legal for our approach and landing. The clouds were actually down to 500 ft and visibility 1 mi which also added to our concentration for the landing. After we touched down we realized we did not switch to tower frequency for landing clearance, and did not know if they cleared us to land in the blind. We were going to give a windshear report, but the aircraft behind us did. We were told by tower to stay with them and hold short of runway 5R. After receiving clearance to cross 5R we were told to contact ground which we did and we were cleared to our gate. In summary, I feel we were led into a trap by giving us an automatic change over to tower at marker, which reduced approach controller's workload, but also increases the pilot's especially in those type of conditions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: it was a dark and stormy night. Flight crew had been on duty for 11 or 12 hours and had encountered bad WX and delays all day. On final were listening intently to conversations between other flcs and ATC reference WX conditions, runway conditions, etc. ATC sounded like tower. Cockpit was very busy and noisy. First officer was flying the ILS approach and WX was so rough that it was difficult to get stabilized on GS and localizer. Crosswind was bad, but still legal for them although some other flts had to get approach changed to runway 5 (wind 360 degrees at 18 KTS).

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING APCH TO CLE WE WERE ON VECTORS TO INTERCEPT ILS 28 AT 3000 FT WHICH WE DID. WE BEGAN TO ENCOUNTER PRECIPITATION, FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH AND TO CONTACT TWR AT PARMA. AS WE APCHED PARMA WE WERE TOLD TO KEEP 170 KTS TO PARMA. OUR BUG SPD WAS 121 KTS. APCHING PARMA LOM WE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE LIGHT TURB. OUR AIRSPD DROPPED -20 KTS AND GAINED +30 KTS MAX. THE GS INTERCEPT MOVED VERY FAST TO CENTER OF BULLS EYE WITH OVER 1000 FT DSCNT TO STAY ON GS. THERE WAS ALSO 20 DEG CRAB AND FLUCTUATING TO STAY ON LOC. THIS WAS VERY DISTRACTING TO US AND TO OTHER ACFT ON APCH. WE PLACED A LOT OF CONCENTRATION ON MANEUVERING THE ACFT ON THE GS AND LOC AND FAILED TO CHANGE OVER TO TWR AT THE MARKER. IN THE MEANTIME OTHER ACFT HAD STARTED TO REQUEST RWY 5 WHICH MADE ME WONDER IF WE WERE LEGAL FOR A XWIND LNDG ON 28. APCH WAS GIVING WINDS OF 360 DEGS AT 18 KTS WHICH WAS LEGAL FOR OUR APCH AND LNDG. THE CLOUDS WERE ACTUALLY DOWN TO 500 FT AND VISIBILITY 1 MI WHICH ALSO ADDED TO OUR CONCENTRATION FOR THE LNDG. AFTER WE TOUCHED DOWN WE REALIZED WE DID NOT SWITCH TO TWR FREQ FOR LNDG CLRNC, AND DID NOT KNOW IF THEY CLRED US TO LAND IN THE BLIND. WE WERE GOING TO GIVE A WINDSHEAR RPT, BUT THE ACFT BEHIND US DID. WE WERE TOLD BY TWR TO STAY WITH THEM AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 5R. AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC TO CROSS 5R WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT GND WHICH WE DID AND WE WERE CLRED TO OUR GATE. IN SUMMARY, I FEEL WE WERE LED INTO A TRAP BY GIVING US AN AUTOMATIC CHANGE OVER TO TWR AT MARKER, WHICH REDUCED APCH CTLR'S WORKLOAD, BUT ALSO INCREASES THE PLT'S ESPECIALLY IN THOSE TYPE OF CONDITIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT. FLC HAD BEEN ON DUTY FOR 11 OR 12 HRS AND HAD ENCOUNTERED BAD WX AND DELAYS ALL DAY. ON FINAL WERE LISTENING INTENTLY TO CONVERSATIONS BTWN OTHER FLCS AND ATC REF WX CONDITIONS, RWY CONDITIONS, ETC. ATC SOUNDED LIKE TWR. COCKPIT WAS VERY BUSY AND NOISY. FO WAS FLYING THE ILS APCH AND WX WAS SO ROUGH THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET STABILIZED ON GS AND LOC. XWIND WAS BAD, BUT STILL LEGAL FOR THEM ALTHOUGH SOME OTHER FLTS HAD TO GET APCH CHANGED TO RWY 5 (WIND 360 DEGS AT 18 KTS).

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.