Narrative:

During a localizer back course approach to jln, in IFR conditions, we landed without having received a landing clearance from sln tower. Neither the captain nor myself can recall at what point the approach controller handed us off, but the tower frequency was the active radio. It's my belief that one of two things occurred: one, the approach controller handed us off prior to the FAF and told us to contact the tower at the FAF, in which case we just forgot because of our preoccupation with the approach. Or, we were handed off at the FAF and missed the call because we were initiating the approach. That doesn't excuse our not calling the tower, but it could have been a contributing factor. My recommendation is for the controller to hand off to local prior to the FAF and to request that the contact be made immediately as opposed to waiting until realizing the FAF.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED LNDG, NO LNDG CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING A LOC BC APCH TO JLN, IN IFR CONDITIONS, WE LANDED WITHOUT HAVING RECEIVED A LNDG CLRNC FROM SLN TWR. NEITHER THE CAPT NOR MYSELF CAN RECALL AT WHAT POINT THE APCH CTLR HANDED US OFF, BUT THE TWR FREQ WAS THE ACTIVE RADIO. IT'S MY BELIEF THAT ONE OF TWO THINGS OCCURRED: ONE, THE APCH CTLR HANDED US OFF PRIOR TO THE FAF AND TOLD US TO CONTACT THE TWR AT THE FAF, IN WHICH CASE WE JUST FORGOT BECAUSE OF OUR PREOCCUPATION WITH THE APCH. OR, WE WERE HANDED OFF AT THE FAF AND MISSED THE CALL BECAUSE WE WERE INITIATING THE APCH. THAT DOESN'T EXCUSE OUR NOT CALLING THE TWR, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. MY RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE CTLR TO HAND OFF TO LCL PRIOR TO THE FAF AND TO REQUEST THAT THE CONTACT BE MADE IMMEDIATELY AS OPPOSED TO WAITING UNTIL REALIZING THE FAF.

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.