Flight crew failed to contact the tower and landed without a clearance to land.

Attributes
ACN	317040
Time
Date	199509
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	317040
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	317166
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a heading to intercept the localizer final approach course to runway 29 the controller cleared us for the approach and advised us to follow a B757, and slow to 170 KTS. The GS was OTS and there was no glide path information. Since we were trying to stay clear of wake turbulence we stayed a little high on an imaginary GS while watching for other VFR traffic (which there were several) and the controller busy I did not hear if the approach controller told us to go over to tower. We were completing the checklist and monitoring the approach. The runway was clear and our landing was normal and in no way caused any conflict with ground or aircraft airborne. After landing we were surprised to see we were still on approach control frequency. Supplemental information from acn 317166: a suggestion to ATC procedures might be to have the aircraft contact the tower in the same clearance that the approach clearance is given in. This might reduce the controller's and cockpit crew's workload.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC FAILED TO CONTACT THE TWR AND LANDED WITHOUT A CLRNC TO LAND.

Narrative: ON A HDG TO INTERCEPT THE LOC FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 29 THE CTLR CLRED US FOR THE APCH AND ADVISED US TO FOLLOW A B757, AND SLOW TO 170 KTS. THE GS WAS OTS AND THERE WAS NO GLIDE PATH INFO. SINCE WE WERE TRYING TO STAY CLR OF WAKE TURB WE STAYED A LITTLE HIGH ON AN IMAGINARY GS WHILE WATCHING FOR OTHER VFR TFC (WHICH THERE WERE SEVERAL) AND THE CTLR BUSY I DID NOT HEAR IF THE APCH CTLR TOLD US TO GO OVER TO TWR. WE WERE COMPLETING THE CHKLIST AND MONITORING THE APCH. THE RWY WAS CLR AND OUR LNDG WAS NORMAL AND IN NO WAY CAUSED ANY CONFLICT WITH GND OR ACFT AIRBORNE. AFTER LNDG WE WERE SURPRISED TO SEE WE WERE STILL ON APCH CTL FREQ. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 317166: A SUGGESTION TO ATC PROCS MIGHT BE TO HAVE THE ACFT CONTACT THE TWR IN THE SAME CLRNC THAT THE APCH CLRNC IS GIVEN IN. THIS MIGHT REDUCE THE CTLR'S AND COCKPIT CREW'S WORKLOAD.

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.