Narrative:

During approach to runway 13L, jfk (approximately XX12Z jan/fri/98) in heavy rain and moderate turbulence, I was told by approach to switch to tower frequency 119.1. Just after I read back the frequency 119.1, but before I switched over, approach then advised me that an 'air carrier Y B747,' whom we were following had just gone around for moderate turbulence and windshear. I then asked approach how much windshear did he report and was told to standby. About 10 seconds later approach came back and said he reported +/-15 KTS. Just as I acknowledged the +/-15 KTS, we experienced some particularly bad turbulence (at the upper end of moderate) with a momentary, abrupt loss of 20 KTS. At this point and throughout the rest of the approach to landing, aircraft control and a safe approach became my main focus, and consequently I never realized until after we had landed safely that I never called the tower for landing clearance. In the strictest sense, safety was not compromised in that when we broke out and could see the runway, visibility was adequate to inquire that the runway was clear, and approach frequency was monitored all the way to touchdown, and under the circumstances, aircraft control was clearly the priority. Even so, this does not negate the need for proper landing clearance from the tower. To that end, and perhaps for circumstances as above, or others where the aircraft on final has been cleared to tower by approach control but not checked in, then there should be some quick easy way for tower to issue landing clearance through the approach frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT ACR LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC WHEN THEY FAILED TO CONTACT TWR AS DIRECTED BY ATC APCH. THE RPTR STATES THAT THEY WERE DISTRACTED DUE TO PIREP OF WINDSHEAR AND TURB AHEAD ON APCH.

Narrative: DURING APCH TO RWY 13L, JFK (APPROX XX12Z JAN/FRI/98) IN HVY RAIN AND MODERATE TURB, I WAS TOLD BY APCH TO SWITCH TO TWR FREQ 119.1. JUST AFTER I READ BACK THE FREQ 119.1, BUT BEFORE I SWITCHED OVER, APCH THEN ADVISED ME THAT AN 'ACR Y B747,' WHOM WE WERE FOLLOWING HAD JUST GONE AROUND FOR MODERATE TURB AND WINDSHEAR. I THEN ASKED APCH HOW MUCH WINDSHEAR DID HE RPT AND WAS TOLD TO STANDBY. ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER APCH CAME BACK AND SAID HE RPTED +/-15 KTS. JUST AS I ACKNOWLEDGED THE +/-15 KTS, WE EXPERIENCED SOME PARTICULARLY BAD TURB (AT THE UPPER END OF MODERATE) WITH A MOMENTARY, ABRUPT LOSS OF 20 KTS. AT THIS POINT AND THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE APCH TO LNDG, ACFT CTL AND A SAFE APCH BECAME MY MAIN FOCUS, AND CONSEQUENTLY I NEVER REALIZED UNTIL AFTER WE HAD LANDED SAFELY THAT I NEVER CALLED THE TWR FOR LNDG CLRNC. IN THE STRICTEST SENSE, SAFETY WAS NOT COMPROMISED IN THAT WHEN WE BROKE OUT AND COULD SEE THE RWY, VISIBILITY WAS ADEQUATE TO INQUIRE THAT THE RWY WAS CLR, AND APCH FREQ WAS MONITORED ALL THE WAY TO TOUCHDOWN, AND UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, ACFT CTL WAS CLRLY THE PRIORITY. EVEN SO, THIS DOES NOT NEGATE THE NEED FOR PROPER LNDG CLRNC FROM THE TWR. TO THAT END, AND PERHAPS FOR CIRCUMSTANCES AS ABOVE, OR OTHERS WHERE THE ACFT ON FINAL HAS BEEN CLRED TO TWR BY APCH CTL BUT NOT CHKED IN, THEN THERE SHOULD BE SOME QUICK EASY WAY FOR TWR TO ISSUE LNDG CLRNC THROUGH THE APCH FREQ.

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.