Narrative:

We were cleared for a visual approach to runway 26R in atl. While passing 7000 ft MSL at 22 DME, we were told to switch to tower at 5 DME. We failed to switch to tower at 5 DME and receive landing clearance. Contributing factors: last leg of a 3 day trip. We had all mentioned earlier we were tired. I was high when cleared for the visual approach which increased workload. We were instructed not to switch to tower until close to the field. We were doing landing checklist at 5 mi. I was concentrating on getting a stabilized, on speed approach from a high visual position. Copilot distracted backing me up, monitoring my approach. We were the only aircraft operating at airport at that time. Radio was quiet all the way in. (No radio talk to cue us we were still on approach.) copilot mentioned asking to land on inboard runway. I declined, but I assumed (mistake) we were on tower frequency. He obviously thought he was on tower and had clearance when he said that. Supplemental information from acn 409245: we were the only aircraft on frequency. The clearance was given passing approximately 7000 ft MSL on a 210 degree heading at 22 DME. Approach control told us to contact tower on a 5 mi final. Because we are normally so tightly controled at atl, I believe this clearance contributed to the incident. It was different. While flying to the airport, the radios were quiet and there was no other traffic. It was also the last leg of a 3 day trip and we, the crew, were tired. I believe fatigue and habit pattern interference were contributing factors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW LANDED WITHOUT RECEIVING CLRNC FROM TWR.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R IN ATL. WHILE PASSING 7000 FT MSL AT 22 DME, WE WERE TOLD TO SWITCH TO TWR AT 5 DME. WE FAILED TO SWITCH TO TWR AT 5 DME AND RECEIVE LNDG CLRNC. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LAST LEG OF A 3 DAY TRIP. WE HAD ALL MENTIONED EARLIER WE WERE TIRED. I WAS HIGH WHEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH WHICH INCREASED WORKLOAD. WE WERE INSTRUCTED NOT TO SWITCH TO TWR UNTIL CLOSE TO THE FIELD. WE WERE DOING LNDG CHKLIST AT 5 MI. I WAS CONCENTRATING ON GETTING A STABILIZED, ON SPD APCH FROM A HIGH VISUAL POS. COPLT DISTRACTED BACKING ME UP, MONITORING MY APCH. WE WERE THE ONLY ACFT OPERATING AT ARPT AT THAT TIME. RADIO WAS QUIET ALL THE WAY IN. (NO RADIO TALK TO CUE US WE WERE STILL ON APCH.) COPLT MENTIONED ASKING TO LAND ON INBOARD RWY. I DECLINED, BUT I ASSUMED (MISTAKE) WE WERE ON TWR FREQ. HE OBVIOUSLY THOUGHT HE WAS ON TWR AND HAD CLRNC WHEN HE SAID THAT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 409245: WE WERE THE ONLY ACFT ON FREQ. THE CLRNC WAS GIVEN PASSING APPROX 7000 FT MSL ON A 210 DEG HDG AT 22 DME. APCH CTL TOLD US TO CONTACT TWR ON A 5 MI FINAL. BECAUSE WE ARE NORMALLY SO TIGHTLY CTLED AT ATL, I BELIEVE THIS CLRNC CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT. IT WAS DIFFERENT. WHILE FLYING TO THE ARPT, THE RADIOS WERE QUIET AND THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC. IT WAS ALSO THE LAST LEG OF A 3 DAY TRIP AND WE, THE CREW, WERE TIRED. I BELIEVE FATIGUE AND HABIT PATTERN INTERFERENCE WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

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.