Narrative:

The captain was inside the OM on an ILS approach during VMC. I contacted the tower at the marker for a landing clearance and was told to continue behind a landing aircraft ahead on the same runway. The aircraft ahead was told about our presence as he was turning off ('B757 on approximately 1 1/2 mi final'). At that point the pilot of the aircraft which had just landed and the tower controller engaged in conversation about taxi instructions and also about runway condition. This pilot had confirmed that there was no debris on the runway. The controller had previously asked this pilot for confirmation about this. I was not able to break into their conversation. I told the captain we were not cleared to land and he said to 'try to cut in.' I keyed the microphone and requested 'landing clearance.' the controller continued her conversation with the other pilot. I don't know if she ever even heard my second request for landing or not. I believe this situation could have been avoided if the controller had kept the frequency clear by handing the other pilot off to ground control after she got her confirmation that the runway was clear. We also could have executed a go around, however, under the circumstances (ie, no communication with tower), the captain decided it was safer to continue landing since the controller knew of our presence and probably expected us to land.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR B757 UNABLE TO GET LNDG CLRNC FROM TWR DUE TO CTLR TALKING WITH PREVIOUS LNDG ACFT. MADE A LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: THE CAPT WAS INSIDE THE OM ON AN ILS APCH DURING VMC. I CONTACTED THE TWR AT THE MARKER FOR A LNDG CLRNC AND WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE BEHIND A LNDG ACFT AHEAD ON THE SAME RWY. THE ACFT AHEAD WAS TOLD ABOUT OUR PRESENCE AS HE WAS TURNING OFF ('B757 ON APPROX 1 1/2 MI FINAL'). AT THAT POINT THE PLT OF THE ACFT WHICH HAD JUST LANDED AND THE TWR CTLR ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION ABOUT TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND ALSO ABOUT RWY CONDITION. THIS PLT HAD CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE RWY. THE CTLR HAD PREVIOUSLY ASKED THIS PLT FOR CONFIRMATION ABOUT THIS. I WAS NOT ABLE TO BREAK INTO THEIR CONVERSATION. I TOLD THE CAPT WE WERE NOT CLRED TO LAND AND HE SAID TO 'TRY TO CUT IN.' I KEYED THE MIKE AND REQUESTED 'LNDG CLRNC.' THE CTLR CONTINUED HER CONVERSATION WITH THE OTHER PLT. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE EVER EVEN HEARD MY SECOND REQUEST FOR LNDG OR NOT. I BELIEVE THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE CTLR HAD KEPT THE FREQ CLR BY HANDING THE OTHER PLT OFF TO GND CTL AFTER SHE GOT HER CONFIRMATION THAT THE RWY WAS CLR. WE ALSO COULD HAVE EXECUTED A GAR, HOWEVER, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES (IE, NO COM WITH TWR), THE CAPT DECIDED IT WAS SAFER TO CONTINUE LNDG SINCE THE CTLR KNEW OF OUR PRESENCE AND PROBABLY EXPECTED US TO LAND.

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.