Narrative:

On approach to smf, 7/wed/92 about AM28 local time approaching runway 16R, about 10 mi out, we were vectored to a heading of 210 degrees for traffic then back to a left heading of 100 degrees and located west of the localizer for 16R. While turning left to a heading of 100 degrees, and west of the localizer for 16R, we were advised of traffic we were following. The controller asked if we saw the traffic. We replied in the affirmative. We were cleared to follow the traffic and cleared to land amid some radio static and a different voice for the landing clearance. The static made communications difficult, not impossible to understand. We assumed that we were using a secondary tower frequency and perhaps a supervisor had taken the microphone to issue the landing clearance. After contacting ground control, we were informed that we had landed without clearance, but had not caused any problems. Problem cause: there have been several incidents of spurious radio problems in this area and the local television station (south?) had broadcast a feature story on the local problem the night before. We believe we received such a broadcast clearing us to land which accounted for the radio static. What can be done? Encourage responsible journalism. Reporting of this type only encourages some people to try 'new' things. The proliferation of hand- held transceivers only makes the problem worse. Supplemental information from acn 215782. Discussion continued by telephone with tower after landing. Subsequent discussion with law authorities revealed numerous spurious unauthorized radio xmissions the past few days in the smf area. Local sheriff indicated news coverage of the problem on tv last night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF ACR LGT ACFT LANDED WITHOUT LNDG CLRNC.

Narrative: ON APCH TO SMF, 7/WED/92 ABOUT AM28 LCL TIME APCHING RWY 16R, ABOUT 10 MI OUT, WE WERE VECTORED TO A HDG OF 210 DEGS FOR TFC THEN BACK TO A L HDG OF 100 DEGS AND LOCATED W OF THE LOC FOR 16R. WHILE TURNING L TO A HDG OF 100 DEGS, AND W OF THE LOC FOR 16R, WE WERE ADVISED OF TFC WE WERE FOLLOWING. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE SAW THE TFC. WE REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE WERE CLRED TO FOLLOW THE TFC AND CLRED TO LAND AMID SOME RADIO STATIC AND A DIFFERENT VOICE FOR THE LNDG CLRNC. THE STATIC MADE COMS DIFFICULT, NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND. WE ASSUMED THAT WE WERE USING A SECONDARY TWR FREQ AND PERHAPS A SUPVR HAD TAKEN THE MICROPHONE TO ISSUE THE LNDG CLRNC. AFTER CONTACTING GND CTL, WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE HAD LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC, BUT HAD NOT CAUSED ANY PROBLEMS. PROBLEM CAUSE: THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF SPURIOUS RADIO PROBLEMS IN THIS AREA AND THE LCL TELEVISION STATION (S?) HAD BROADCAST A FEATURE STORY ON THE LCL PROBLEM THE NIGHT BEFORE. WE BELIEVE WE RECEIVED SUCH A BROADCAST CLRING US TO LAND WHICH ACCOUNTED FOR THE RADIO STATIC. WHAT CAN BE DONE? ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM. RPTING OF THIS TYPE ONLY ENCOURAGES SOME PEOPLE TO TRY 'NEW' THINGS. THE PROLIFERATION OF HAND- HELD TRANSCEIVERS ONLY MAKES THE PROBLEM WORSE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 215782. DISCUSSION CONTINUED BY TELEPHONE WITH TWR AFTER LNDG. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION WITH LAW AUTHORITIES REVEALED NUMEROUS SPURIOUS UNAUTHORIZED RADIO XMISSIONS THE PAST FEW DAYS IN THE SMF AREA. LCL SHERIFF INDICATED NEWS COVERAGE OF THE PROBLEM ON TV LAST NIGHT.

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.