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An ATCT local controller attempted to make contact with an inbound DC9 flight crew, and was unable to do so, because the PNF had inadvertently tuned the ground control frequency into the active frequency control head. The flight crew landed without a clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 336080 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199605 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : stl |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ewr |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 50 |
| 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 : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 178 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 2600 |
| ASRS Report | 336080 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 11000 |
| ASRS Report | 336078 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | incursion : landing without clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera 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:
We were on a visual approach to runway 12R at stl. We were handed off to tower frequency outside the OM. I was hand-flying the aircraft. Unknown to me, the first officer accidentally tuned ground control frequency on the active control head, instead of the standby head, and I landed while on ground control frequency, without having heard the landing clearance. I am diligent about confirming landing clearance, but, this time, I didn't. This confirms for me the need to have a system for reminding the crew that they do or do not have landing clearance, or at least have not heard the landing clearance. Some pilots put the ground control frequency in the standby head after they receive landing clearance. Some use the nose gear light switch. Whatever the system, though, it can't take the place of paying attention to what you are doing -- situational awareness. Supplemental information from acn 336078: to prepare for the taxi phase after landing, I tuned ground control on the unused head. But in the dark cockpit, I tuned the operating head by mistake. Result: tower couldn't contact us to switch to the parallel runway and we never received our landing clearance.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ATCT LCL CTLR ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH AN INBOUND DC9 FLC, AND WAS UNABLE TO DO SO, BECAUSE THE PNF HAD INADVERTENTLY TUNED THE GND CTL FREQ INTO THE ACTIVE FREQ CTL HEAD. THE FLC LANDED WITHOUT A CLRNC.
Narrative: WE WERE ON A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 12R AT STL. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO TWR FREQ OUTSIDE THE OM. I WAS HAND-FLYING THE ACFT. UNKNOWN TO ME, THE FO ACCIDENTALLY TUNED GND CTL FREQ ON THE ACTIVE CTL HEAD, INSTEAD OF THE STANDBY HEAD, AND I LANDED WHILE ON GND CTL FREQ, WITHOUT HAVING HEARD THE LNDG CLRNC. I AM DILIGENT ABOUT CONFIRMING LNDG CLRNC, BUT, THIS TIME, I DIDN'T. THIS CONFIRMS FOR ME THE NEED TO HAVE A SYS FOR REMINDING THE CREW THAT THEY DO OR DO NOT HAVE LNDG CLRNC, OR AT LEAST HAVE NOT HEARD THE LNDG CLRNC. SOME PLTS PUT THE GND CTL FREQ IN THE STANDBY HEAD AFTER THEY RECEIVE LNDG CLRNC. SOME USE THE NOSE GEAR LIGHT SWITCH. WHATEVER THE SYS, THOUGH, IT CAN'T TAKE THE PLACE OF PAYING ATTN TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING -- SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 336078: TO PREPARE FOR THE TAXI PHASE AFTER LNDG, I TUNED GND CTL ON THE UNUSED HEAD. BUT IN THE DARK COCKPIT, I TUNED THE OPERATING HEAD BY MISTAKE. RESULT: TWR COULDN'T CONTACT US TO SWITCH TO THE PARALLEL RWY AND WE NEVER RECEIVED OUR LNDG CLRNC.
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.