Narrative:

On a flight from mem-tul. Naved around heavy thunderstorms earlier in night. Pilots flying last leg of a 3 day trip. ATC asked us to report a B737 in sight for a visual approach to runway 36R at tul. We had difficulty finding the traffic due to city lights in background. We finally found the traffic and reported it 'in sight.' we were told to follow the B737 and make short approach. There was another aircraft to follow us. In the process we were cleared for the visual and told to contact the tower. We were quite busy finishing checklists and preparing for landing. We both failed to FLIP the radio over to tower and receive an audible clearance to land. ATC assumed a 'lost communication,' and flashed us with a green light. (Neither one of us were looking for it though). After clearing the runway, we noticed we were still on approach frequency, and had never contacted the tower. We received clearance to taxi to the gate, after reestablishing communications with ATC. No further incident. In my opinion, contributing factors were: 1) being hurried in the short approach clearance, and 2) fatigue of crew. Flying time in last 5 days, 14.8 hours. Duty time in last 5 days, 34 hours. We made a mistake, believe me we are fully aware of this fact. There are no excuses for this among a professional flight crew. However, I would say emphatically 'shame on the FAA for even considering increasing flight times to 10 hours instead of 8 between rest,' and 'shame on them more for allowing reduced rest and duty times of even 14 hours.' would you get on an airplane if you knew your pilot got up at XA00 to report for work at XC30, and it was XR00 at night?' hey, it's legal! But it shouldn't be.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LTT FAILS TO CONTACT TWR PRIOR TO LNDG.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM MEM-TUL. NAVED AROUND HVY TSTMS EARLIER IN NIGHT. PLTS FLYING LAST LEG OF A 3 DAY TRIP. ATC ASKED US TO RPT A B737 IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 36R AT TUL. WE HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING THE TFC DUE TO CITY LIGHTS IN BACKGROUND. WE FINALLY FOUND THE TFC AND RPTED IT 'IN SIGHT.' WE WERE TOLD TO FOLLOW THE B737 AND MAKE SHORT APCH. THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT TO FOLLOW US. IN THE PROCESS WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL AND TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR. WE WERE QUITE BUSY FINISHING CHKLISTS AND PREPARING FOR LNDG. WE BOTH FAILED TO FLIP THE RADIO OVER TO TWR AND RECEIVE AN AUDIBLE CLRNC TO LAND. ATC ASSUMED A 'LOST COM,' AND FLASHED US WITH A GREEN LIGHT. (NEITHER ONE OF US WERE LOOKING FOR IT THOUGH). AFTER CLRING THE RWY, WE NOTICED WE WERE STILL ON APCH FREQ, AND HAD NEVER CONTACTED THE TWR. WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAXI TO THE GATE, AFTER REESTABLISHING COMS WITH ATC. NO FURTHER INCIDENT. IN MY OPINION, CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) BEING HURRIED IN THE SHORT APCH CLRNC, AND 2) FATIGUE OF CREW. FLYING TIME IN LAST 5 DAYS, 14.8 HRS. DUTY TIME IN LAST 5 DAYS, 34 HRS. WE MADE A MISTAKE, BELIEVE ME WE ARE FULLY AWARE OF THIS FACT. THERE ARE NO EXCUSES FOR THIS AMONG A PROFESSIONAL FLC. HOWEVER, I WOULD SAY EMPHATICALLY 'SHAME ON THE FAA FOR EVEN CONSIDERING INCREASING FLT TIMES TO 10 HRS INSTEAD OF 8 BTWN REST,' AND 'SHAME ON THEM MORE FOR ALLOWING REDUCED REST AND DUTY TIMES OF EVEN 14 HRS.' WOULD YOU GET ON AN AIRPLANE IF YOU KNEW YOUR PLT GOT UP AT XA00 TO RPT FOR WORK AT XC30, AND IT WAS XR00 AT NIGHT?' HEY, IT'S LEGAL! BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE.

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.