Captain uses emergency authority/authorized when no landing clearance issued.

Attributes
ACN	280733
Time
Date	199408
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	280733
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

I used captain's emergency authority/authorized today to land on runway 31R without a formal cleared to land from tower. From 5 DME out on runway 31R we tried many times to get a landing clearance. The east tower frequency was congested, but there were clear breaks available. However, the tower would not respond to our repeated calls. The problem was so apparent that even the air carrier flight behind us on final tried to get a landing clearance for us. We could see the runway and txwys were clear. It was day VFR. At 100 ft, I decided to exercise captain's authority/authorized and land. The weaker option was a surprise missed approach on a busy frequency while heavy thunderstorms were in the area. In the interest of safety, I decided to land. The tower issued our landing clearance about halfway through the landing roll. They showed little surprise or concern. Perhaps the solution could be a separate frequency for runway 31R similar to runway 13R operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT USES EMER AUTH WHEN NO LNDG CLRNC ISSUED.

Narrative: I USED CAPT'S EMER AUTH TODAY TO LAND ON RWY 31R WITHOUT A FORMAL CLRED TO LAND FROM TWR. FROM 5 DME OUT ON RWY 31R WE TRIED MANY TIMES TO GET A LNDG CLRNC. THE E TWR FREQ WAS CONGESTED, BUT THERE WERE CLR BREAKS AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, THE TWR WOULD NOT RESPOND TO OUR REPEATED CALLS. THE PROB WAS SO APPARENT THAT EVEN THE ACR FLT BEHIND US ON FINAL TRIED TO GET A LNDG CLRNC FOR US. WE COULD SEE THE RWY AND TXWYS WERE CLR. IT WAS DAY VFR. AT 100 FT, I DECIDED TO EXERCISE CAPT'S AUTH AND LAND. THE WEAKER OPTION WAS A SURPRISE MISSED APCH ON A BUSY FREQ WHILE HVY TSTMS WERE IN THE AREA. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, I DECIDED TO LAND. THE TWR ISSUED OUR LNDG CLRNC ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE LNDG ROLL. THEY SHOWED LITTLE SURPRISE OR CONCERN. PERHAPS THE SOLUTION COULD BE A SEPARATE FREQ FOR RWY 31R SIMILAR TO RWY 13R OPS.

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.