 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Crew on B737 on final for sfo airport following traffic for landing runway 28R and advised to continue. At 1000 ft the crew asked for landing clearance but the frequency was blocked and an aircraft departing aborted causing frequency congestion. The captain elected to land without a specific clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 411230 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sfo |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1600 |
| ASRS Report | 411230 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | incursion : landing without clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
During final approach we made contact with tower. Tower advised us of traffic we were following to runway 28R and that traffic would depart runway 1R prior to our landing. We were never given landing clearance, but told to 'continue.' inside 1000 ft, we asked for landing clearance, however, our transmission was blocked by tower giving takeoff clearance to an aircraft on runway 1R. The tower frequency continued to be congested, and the captain didn't get landing clearance at 500 ft AGL. The departing aircraft aborted due to a compressor stall further occupying tower frequency. Inside 100 ft AGL, the captain told me to land despite never receiving landing clearance. The aborting aircraft remained short of our runway so no conflict took place. I question the use of the term 'continue' from ATC. Where am I to continue to? What is my new clearance limit? If I execute a go around, am I exacerbating problems? Either I should be cleared to land or not.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CREW ON B737 ON FINAL FOR SFO ARPT FOLLOWING TFC FOR LNDG RWY 28R AND ADVISED TO CONTINUE. AT 1000 FT THE CREW ASKED FOR LNDG CLRNC BUT THE FREQ WAS BLOCKED AND AN ACFT DEPARTING ABORTED CAUSING FREQ CONGESTION. THE CAPT ELECTED TO LAND WITHOUT A SPECIFIC CLRNC.
Narrative: DURING FINAL APCH WE MADE CONTACT WITH TWR. TWR ADVISED US OF TFC WE WERE FOLLOWING TO RWY 28R AND THAT TFC WOULD DEPART RWY 1R PRIOR TO OUR LNDG. WE WERE NEVER GIVEN LNDG CLRNC, BUT TOLD TO 'CONTINUE.' INSIDE 1000 FT, WE ASKED FOR LNDG CLRNC, HOWEVER, OUR XMISSION WAS BLOCKED BY TWR GIVING TKOF CLRNC TO AN ACFT ON RWY 1R. THE TWR FREQ CONTINUED TO BE CONGESTED, AND THE CAPT DIDN'T GET LNDG CLRNC AT 500 FT AGL. THE DEPARTING ACFT ABORTED DUE TO A COMPRESSOR STALL FURTHER OCCUPYING TWR FREQ. INSIDE 100 FT AGL, THE CAPT TOLD ME TO LAND DESPITE NEVER RECEIVING LNDG CLRNC. THE ABORTING ACFT REMAINED SHORT OF OUR RWY SO NO CONFLICT TOOK PLACE. I QUESTION THE USE OF THE TERM 'CONTINUE' FROM ATC. WHERE AM I TO CONTINUE TO? WHAT IS MY NEW CLRNC LIMIT? IF I EXECUTE A GAR, AM I EXACERBATING PROBS? EITHER I SHOULD BE CLRED TO LAND OR NOT.
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.