Narrative:

I was the PF in turbulence conditions even though VMC existed I was concentrating on the gauges. My copilot was talking to greensboro approach at approximately 500 ft AGL I inquired to my copilot that I had not heard ATC clear us to land. The copilot informed me that he was not talking to the tower yet because approach had not handed him off yet. I stated that anytime you are inside the OM on approach you should be on towers frequency. The copilot proceeded to argue with me that my statement was not true in all cases. I then requested him to ask approach if he wanted us on the tower frequency. The copilot did so and the approach controller asked our position and stated that he had lost our transponder code on radar and that he had forgotten to switch us over to tower. Our position at this time is 20 ft above runway 23 just about starting to flare for landing. My copilot switched to tower frequency and before they could clear us to land my wheels touched the pavement. As we taxied off the runway and switched to ground the ground controller advised us that we landed without clearance. After taxiing to the FBO, I called the tower to clarify any misunderstanding. They stated everything was ok and did not find fault with the approach controller (ATC supervisor) or with me and my copilot. They stated the hazards of landing without a clearance. I told them that I debated about doing a go around but felt since the runway was clear it would be less confusing to land. This situation could have been avoided if the approach controller had not forgotten to switch us to tower or that my copilot, due to lack of experience, would have queried the approach controller once we passed the OM to find out if he wanted us on the towers frequency. I also should have been more attentive and caught the error sooner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LIGHT ACFT'S FLC FAILED TO CONTACT THE TWR, AND LANDED WITHOUT A CLRNC TO LAND.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF IN TURB CONDITIONS EVEN THOUGH VMC EXISTED I WAS CONCENTRATING ON THE GAUGES. MY COPLT WAS TALKING TO GREENSBORO APCH AT APPROX 500 FT AGL I INQUIRED TO MY COPLT THAT I HAD NOT HEARD ATC CLR US TO LAND. THE COPLT INFORMED ME THAT HE WAS NOT TALKING TO THE TWR YET BECAUSE APCH HAD NOT HANDED HIM OFF YET. I STATED THAT ANYTIME YOU ARE INSIDE THE OM ON APCH YOU SHOULD BE ON TWRS FREQ. THE COPLT PROCEEDED TO ARGUE WITH ME THAT MY STATEMENT WAS NOT TRUE IN ALL CASES. I THEN REQUESTED HIM TO ASK APCH IF HE WANTED US ON THE TWR FREQ. THE COPLT DID SO AND THE APCH CTLR ASKED OUR POS AND STATED THAT HE HAD LOST OUR XPONDER CODE ON RADAR AND THAT HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO SWITCH US OVER TO TWR. OUR POS AT THIS TIME IS 20 FT ABOVE RWY 23 JUST ABOUT STARTING TO FLARE FOR LNDG. MY COPLT SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ AND BEFORE THEY COULD CLR US TO LAND MY WHEELS TOUCHED THE PAVEMENT. AS WE TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND SWITCHED TO GND THE GND CTLR ADVISED US THAT WE LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC. AFTER TAXIING TO THE FBO, I CALLED THE TWR TO CLARIFY ANY MISUNDERSTANDING. THEY STATED EVERYTHING WAS OK AND DID NOT FIND FAULT WITH THE APCH CTLR (ATC SUPVR) OR WITH ME AND MY COPLT. THEY STATED THE HAZARDS OF LNDG WITHOUT A CLRNC. I TOLD THEM THAT I DEBATED ABOUT DOING A GAR BUT FELT SINCE THE RWY WAS CLR IT WOULD BE LESS CONFUSING TO LAND. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE APCH CTLR HAD NOT FORGOTTEN TO SWITCH US TO TWR OR THAT MY COPLT, DUE TO LACK OF EXPERIENCE, WOULD HAVE QUERIED THE APCH CTLR ONCE WE PASSED THE OM TO FIND OUT IF HE WANTED US ON THE TWRS FREQ. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ATTENTIVE AND CAUGHT THE ERROR SOONER.

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.