Clearance landing not received. Unauthorized landing. Frequency change missed.

Attributes
ACN	296508
Time
Date	199502
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	296508
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	296818
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We landed on runway 28R in sfo without acknowledging our clearance to land. The reason we did not acknowledge is because we never switched frequency to the tower controller. We were distracted by an unusual event. Air force 1 was behind, following us. We were distracted that we did not change to tower frequency, in fact we think the bay controller was distracted so he failed to give us a frequency change. After landing we realized our mistake because we did not hear a 'hold short' or 'cross' clearance. We were holding short of runway 28L and wondered why we could not hear the tower. It was then that I realized that we were still on bay approach frequency 120.35. A contributing factor is that the normal final approach frequency is 135.65. Tower is 120.50. I think! Made a 'tower connection' with the similar frequency. (120.35 vs 120.50). Supplemental information from acn 296818: from about 20 NM out we had what seemed like a lot of traffic to look for. Around 4 NM final captain asked me, ' are we cleared to land?' I said, 'I didn't hear anything.' he said, 'we must be, the runways is clear.' I said, 'yea, I don't see anyone.' we landed, took the highspd and stopped between runway 28L and runway 28R. It was at this point that we both saw 120.35 in the radio and not 120.50. We then called tower on 120.50, they cleared us to cross the runway 28L. Tower asked is this the first you have heard from us. We said,' yes.' as it was. Called ground and told that we were sorry. They 'said not to worry, no problem. At the gate the captain called the tower on the phone and they said they understood what happened. When I'm the PNF I always make the statement 'cleared to land' at the end of the 'landing' checklist even though it was not on there. This backs me up that the PF is cleared to land. But, when I'm flying I don't always hear the clearance, cause I'm flying. I don't have a check to back up the clearance other than the PNF.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRNC LNDG NOT RECEIVED. UNAUTH LNDG. FREQ CHANGE MISSED.

Narrative: WE LANDED ON RWY 28R IN SFO WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING OUR CLRNC TO LAND. THE REASON WE DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IS BECAUSE WE NEVER SWITCHED FREQ TO THE TWR CTLR. WE WERE DISTRACTED BY AN UNUSUAL EVENT. AIR FORCE 1 WAS BEHIND, FOLLOWING US. WE WERE DISTRACTED THAT WE DID NOT CHANGE TO TWR FREQ, IN FACT WE THINK THE BAY CTLR WAS DISTRACTED SO HE FAILED TO GIVE US A FREQ CHANGE. AFTER LNDG WE REALIZED OUR MISTAKE BECAUSE WE DID NOT HEAR A 'HOLD SHORT' OR 'CROSS' CLRNC. WE WERE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 28L AND WONDERED WHY WE COULD NOT HEAR THE TWR. IT WAS THEN THAT I REALIZED THAT WE WERE STILL ON BAY APCH FREQ 120.35. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THAT THE NORMAL FINAL APCH FREQ IS 135.65. TWR IS 120.50. I THINK! MADE A 'TWR CONNECTION' WITH THE SIMILAR FREQ. (120.35 VS 120.50). SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 296818: FROM ABOUT 20 NM OUT WE HAD WHAT SEEMED LIKE A LOT OF TFC TO LOOK FOR. AROUND 4 NM FINAL CAPT ASKED ME, ' ARE WE CLRED TO LAND?' I SAID, 'I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING.' HE SAID, 'WE MUST BE, THE RWYS IS CLR.' I SAID, 'YEA, I DON'T SEE ANYONE.' WE LANDED, TOOK THE HIGHSPD AND STOPPED BTWN RWY 28L AND RWY 28R. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT WE BOTH SAW 120.35 IN THE RADIO AND NOT 120.50. WE THEN CALLED TWR ON 120.50, THEY CLRED US TO CROSS THE RWY 28L. TWR ASKED IS THIS THE FIRST YOU HAVE HEARD FROM US. WE SAID,' YES.' AS IT WAS. CALLED GND AND TOLD THAT WE WERE SORRY. THEY 'SAID NOT TO WORRY, NO PROB. AT THE GATE THE CAPT CALLED THE TWR ON THE PHONE AND THEY SAID THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT HAPPENED. WHEN I'M THE PNF I ALWAYS MAKE THE STATEMENT 'CLRED TO LAND' AT THE END OF THE 'LNDG' CHKLIST EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT ON THERE. THIS BACKS ME UP THAT THE PF IS CLRED TO LAND. BUT, WHEN I'M FLYING I DON'T ALWAYS HEAR THE CLRNC, CAUSE I'M FLYING. I DON'T HAVE A CHK TO BACK UP THE CLRNC OTHER THAN THE PNF.

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.