Narrative:

We were inbound to dtw airport with the first officer flying. Cleared direct to polar intersection to maintain 12000 ft MSL. Fl briefed the crew on the expected approach, runway 21R ILS. Approaching polar we were cleared INS direct to robbi, a runway 21L ILS fix. We could not find the geographic coordinates for robbi so the copilot used the dxo VORTAC to figure a point-to-point navigation heading (150 degrees). I was just about to inform dtw approach that we could not go direct to robbi when we were told to fly a 120 degree heading and descend to 7000 ft MSL and maintain 210 KTS. Several mins after we were instructed to turn to 150 degrees, intercept runway 21L, maintain 3000 ft MSL until established, 170 KTS to scofi (OM), tower at scofi frequency 118.4. We intercepted runway 21L localizer about 11 DME (dxo) and above the glide path. We were descending at idle power trying to both descend and to slow to the assigned airspeed. As a result the aircraft was not configured for landing until just about scofi and the landing check was accomplished later than normal. Over scofi (determined by GS altitude) descent was on glide path still slowing to final approach speed. (No aural or visual signal received at scofi.) captain's flight director was intermittent with guide bar alternately coming into view and flashing out of view. Raining -- used windshield wipers. Saw approach lights at 600 ft AGL and runway at 400 ft AGL. After landing realized we had not changed to tower. Recommend: 1) approach control be required to give an estimated final approach length with approach assignment so crews can plan descent. 2) no ATC speed control when on final approach in IMC. 3) stop issuing 'conditional' frequency changes. Aircraft should be sent to correct frequency at the appropriate time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LANDED WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE INBOUND TO DTW ARPT WITH THE FO FLYING. CLRED DIRECT TO POLAR INTXN TO MAINTAIN 12000 FT MSL. FL BRIEFED THE CREW ON THE EXPECTED APCH, RWY 21R ILS. APCHING POLAR WE WERE CLRED INS DIRECT TO ROBBI, A RWY 21L ILS FIX. WE COULD NOT FIND THE GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES FOR ROBBI SO THE COPLT USED THE DXO VORTAC TO FIGURE A POINT-TO-POINT NAV HDG (150 DEGS). I WAS JUST ABOUT TO INFORM DTW APCH THAT WE COULD NOT GO DIRECT TO ROBBI WHEN WE WERE TOLD TO FLY A 120 DEG HDG AND DSND TO 7000 FT MSL AND MAINTAIN 210 KTS. SEVERAL MINS AFTER WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN TO 150 DEGS, INTERCEPT RWY 21L, MAINTAIN 3000 FT MSL UNTIL ESTABLISHED, 170 KTS TO SCOFI (OM), TWR AT SCOFI FREQ 118.4. WE INTERCEPTED RWY 21L LOC ABOUT 11 DME (DXO) AND ABOVE THE GLIDE PATH. WE WERE DSNDING AT IDLE PWR TRYING TO BOTH DSND AND TO SLOW TO THE ASSIGNED AIRSPD. AS A RESULT THE ACFT WAS NOT CONFIGURED FOR LNDG UNTIL JUST ABOUT SCOFI AND THE LNDG CHK WAS ACCOMPLISHED LATER THAN NORMAL. OVER SCOFI (DETERMINED BY GS ALT) DSCNT WAS ON GLIDE PATH STILL SLOWING TO FINAL APCH SPD. (NO AURAL OR VISUAL SIGNAL RECEIVED AT SCOFI.) CAPT'S FLT DIRECTOR WAS INTERMITTENT WITH GUIDE BAR ALTERNATELY COMING INTO VIEW AND FLASHING OUT OF VIEW. RAINING -- USED WINDSHIELD WIPERS. SAW APCH LIGHTS AT 600 FT AGL AND RWY AT 400 FT AGL. AFTER LNDG REALIZED WE HAD NOT CHANGED TO TWR. RECOMMEND: 1) APCH CTL BE REQUIRED TO GIVE AN ESTIMATED FINAL APCH LENGTH WITH APCH ASSIGNMENT SO CREWS CAN PLAN DSCNT. 2) NO ATC SPD CTL WHEN ON FINAL APCH IN IMC. 3) STOP ISSUING 'CONDITIONAL' FREQ CHANGES. ACFT SHOULD BE SENT TO CORRECT FREQ AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.

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.