Unauthorized landing. Air carrier flight crew forgets to obtain landing clearance from the tower.

Attributes
ACN	311200
Time
Date	199507
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 12400 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	311200
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	312162
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
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:

The ATIS said runway 35L&right visual approachs were in use with VFR WX. We set our navigation radios and computers for a visual approach runway 35L. We were switched to approach control. They said a cell was just outside the OM for runway 35L and that a visual approach was available for runway 26 that would keep us clear of all WX. We were vectored toward the visual approach runway 26. We could not see the airport on 15 mi final so approach control cleared us for an ILS. As we approached we set the navigation radios, set our altitude bugs and briefed the ILS for runway 26. Prior to the marker we could see the runway through rain ahead on final. We adjusted our radar to see small rain showers near the runway 26 OM. We flew through light rain as we passed the OM. After landing we asked if we should switch to ground control. Approach control answered saying we were still on his frequency. We switched to den tower frequency, and apologized. He said it had caused no problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH LNDG. ACR FLC FORGETS TO OBTAIN LNDG CLRNC FROM THE TWR.

Narrative: THE ATIS SAID RWY 35L&R VISUAL APCHS WERE IN USE WITH VFR WX. WE SET OUR NAV RADIOS AND COMPUTERS FOR A VISUAL APCH RWY 35L. WE WERE SWITCHED TO APCH CTL. THEY SAID A CELL WAS JUST OUTSIDE THE OM FOR RWY 35L AND THAT A VISUAL APCH WAS AVAILABLE FOR RWY 26 THAT WOULD KEEP US CLR OF ALL WX. WE WERE VECTORED TOWARD THE VISUAL APCH RWY 26. WE COULD NOT SEE THE ARPT ON 15 MI FINAL SO APCH CTL CLRED US FOR AN ILS. AS WE APCHED WE SET THE NAV RADIOS, SET OUR ALT BUGS AND BRIEFED THE ILS FOR RWY 26. PRIOR TO THE MARKER WE COULD SEE THE RWY THROUGH RAIN AHEAD ON FINAL. WE ADJUSTED OUR RADAR TO SEE SMALL RAIN SHOWERS NEAR THE RWY 26 OM. WE FLEW THROUGH LIGHT RAIN AS WE PASSED THE OM. AFTER LNDG WE ASKED IF WE SHOULD SWITCH TO GND CTL. APCH CTL ANSWERED SAYING WE WERE STILL ON HIS FREQ. WE SWITCHED TO DEN TWR FREQ, AND APOLOGIZED. HE SAID IT HAD CAUSED NO PROB.

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.