Narrative:

We landed at aus without tower clearance after a slam-dunk approach. At 4000 ft, 230 KTS, 15 mi away on a vector 90 degrees away from the ILS runway 13R final approach course, I wanted to put out flaps 1 degree to start slowing down. (I'm new in this airplane, still under 100 hours. The captain has 4 yrs in the airplane.) captain talked me out of it. I bowed to his greater experience. The approach controller was trying to vector us (sequence us) behind a guy, he was not too far ahead of us, hence the vector. At about 4 mi from the field, approach wanted to know if we had the field. Captain said yes and called it. I said I didn't have it. When I acquired the runway, we were lined up and very high. I immediately started throwing out flaps, gear, and speed brakes. We were totally unstabilized, not in accordance with company procedures. I suggested a go around at about 800 ft AGL. Captain said we could make it, but if I felt uncomfortable, to go around. I let myself be led down the primrose path and continued the approach. Here are our snafus: 1) accepting a visual approach to an unfamiliar airport in very hazy flight conditions. 2) never contacted the tower. 3) landed without landing clearance. 4) not stabilized by 500 ft in accordance with company procedures. 5) no landing checklist. Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! Tower graciously acknowledged our 'radio failure' and said they had shot us a green light. Yeah, right! What makes me crazy is that for the first time in 10 yrs I violated my #1 rule of flying. I got this rule while flying in the navy, and it is: how would this scenario look/sound if I had to explain it at a hearing? Today's incident was an unbelievable example of poor headwork on my part (the captain's, too!). Sorry this is so disjointed. We landed 2 hours ago and I'm still riled up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC. STABILIZED APCH CONCEPT VIOLATED.

Narrative: WE LANDED AT AUS WITHOUT TWR CLRNC AFTER A SLAM-DUNK APCH. AT 4000 FT, 230 KTS, 15 MI AWAY ON A VECTOR 90 DEGS AWAY FROM THE ILS RWY 13R FINAL APCH COURSE, I WANTED TO PUT OUT FLAPS 1 DEG TO START SLOWING DOWN. (I'M NEW IN THIS AIRPLANE, STILL UNDER 100 HRS. THE CAPT HAS 4 YRS IN THE AIRPLANE.) CAPT TALKED ME OUT OF IT. I BOWED TO HIS GREATER EXPERIENCE. THE APCH CTLR WAS TRYING TO VECTOR US (SEQUENCE US) BEHIND A GUY, HE WAS NOT TOO FAR AHEAD OF US, HENCE THE VECTOR. AT ABOUT 4 MI FROM THE FIELD, APCH WANTED TO KNOW IF WE HAD THE FIELD. CAPT SAID YES AND CALLED IT. I SAID I DIDN'T HAVE IT. WHEN I ACQUIRED THE RWY, WE WERE LINED UP AND VERY HIGH. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED THROWING OUT FLAPS, GEAR, AND SPD BRAKES. WE WERE TOTALLY UNSTABILIZED, NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH COMPANY PROCS. I SUGGESTED A GAR AT ABOUT 800 FT AGL. CAPT SAID WE COULD MAKE IT, BUT IF I FELT UNCOMFORTABLE, TO GAR. I LET MYSELF BE LED DOWN THE PRIMROSE PATH AND CONTINUED THE APCH. HERE ARE OUR SNAFUS: 1) ACCEPTING A VISUAL APCH TO AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT IN VERY HAZY FLT CONDITIONS. 2) NEVER CONTACTED THE TWR. 3) LANDED WITHOUT LNDG CLRNC. 4) NOT STABILIZED BY 500 FT IN ACCORDANCE WITH COMPANY PROCS. 5) NO LNDG CHKLIST. DUMB! DUMB! DUMB! TWR GRACIOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED OUR 'RADIO FAILURE' AND SAID THEY HAD SHOT US A GREEN LIGHT. YEAH, RIGHT! WHAT MAKES ME CRAZY IS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 10 YRS I VIOLATED MY #1 RULE OF FLYING. I GOT THIS RULE WHILE FLYING IN THE NAVY, AND IT IS: HOW WOULD THIS SCENARIO LOOK/SOUND IF I HAD TO EXPLAIN IT AT A HEARING? TODAY'S INCIDENT WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE EXAMPLE OF POOR HEADWORK ON MY PART (THE CAPT'S, TOO!). SORRY THIS IS SO DISJOINTED. WE LANDED 2 HRS AGO AND I'M STILL RILED UP.

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.