Flight crew of a B757 forgot to contact the tower and landed without clearance. Flight crew were distraction due to being positioned by approach control in a high close in position. In addition, approach did not advise reporter to contact tower.

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Attributes
ACN	387720
Time
Date	199712
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl tower : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	387720
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
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:

We were on a macey 2 arrival into atl. Approach initially gave us runway 8L and then changed it to runway 9R. Because of other traffic, approach had to keep us high on the arrival. It was a visual approach backed up with the ILS. Approach gave us the traffic we were following. We acknowledged and they gave us a short approach turning us in close for landing. We were comfortable with the approach but because of the flight parameters we were busy complying. We believe that approach did not clear us over to tower. This is not an excuse, we should have switched to tower on our own. On top of this, at about 1200 ft AGL, we thought we saw a small aircraft on the runway in position for takeoff, but as we got in closer we realized it was an illusion created by runway markings and rubber marks. We landed without landing clearance. There were no potential conflicts or any other safety issues. I believe the error was caused by: 1) a busy approach. 2) approach not changing us to tower. 3) we did not go to tower on our own. 4) confusion about aircraft on the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B757 FORGOT TO CONTACT THE TWR AND LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC. FLC WERE DISTR DUE TO BEING POSITIONED BY APCH CTL IN A HIGH CLOSE IN POS. IN ADDITION, APCH DID NOT ADVISE RPTR TO CONTACT TWR.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A MACEY 2 ARR INTO ATL. APCH INITIALLY GAVE US RWY 8L AND THEN CHANGED IT TO RWY 9R. BECAUSE OF OTHER TFC, APCH HAD TO KEEP US HIGH ON THE ARR. IT WAS A VISUAL APCH BACKED UP WITH THE ILS. APCH GAVE US THE TFC WE WERE FOLLOWING. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND THEY GAVE US A SHORT APCH TURNING US IN CLOSE FOR LNDG. WE WERE COMFORTABLE WITH THE APCH BUT BECAUSE OF THE FLT PARAMETERS WE WERE BUSY COMPLYING. WE BELIEVE THAT APCH DID NOT CLR US OVER TO TWR. THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE, WE SHOULD HAVE SWITCHED TO TWR ON OUR OWN. ON TOP OF THIS, AT ABOUT 1200 FT AGL, WE THOUGHT WE SAW A SMALL ACFT ON THE RWY IN POS FOR TKOF, BUT AS WE GOT IN CLOSER WE REALIZED IT WAS AN ILLUSION CREATED BY RWY MARKINGS AND RUBBER MARKS. WE LANDED WITHOUT LNDG CLRNC. THERE WERE NO POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OR ANY OTHER SAFETY ISSUES. I BELIEVE THE ERROR WAS CAUSED BY: 1) A BUSY APCH. 2) APCH NOT CHANGING US TO TWR. 3) WE DID NOT GO TO TWR ON OUR OWN. 4) CONFUSION ABOUT ACFT ON THE RWY.

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.