MD80 crew landed without tower clearance.

Attributes
ACN	415471
Time
Date	199809
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	415471
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	415470
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Landed on approach frequency. At 3000 ft on downwind, we were cleared for the visual approach to runway 22R. After landing, we were told to contact tower on 118.3. We failed to catch that we were still on approach before landing, and if we were told to switch, we never heard it. Supplemental information from acn 415470: at 3000 ft on downwind, we were cleared for visual to runway 22R. After landing, we were told to contact tower for taxi, by approach control. I was first officer/PNF, became busy on base picking up runway and VASI and completing checklist. Do not believe approach prompted us to contact tower. Believe habit pattern of using last switch on old mechanic checklist for clearance to land would have helped us catch this. No other traffic noted as it was early, XA45.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW LANDED WITHOUT TWR CLRNC.

Narrative: LANDED ON APCH FREQ. AT 3000 FT ON DOWNWIND, WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 22R. AFTER LNDG, WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT TWR ON 118.3. WE FAILED TO CATCH THAT WE WERE STILL ON APCH BEFORE LNDG, AND IF WE WERE TOLD TO SWITCH, WE NEVER HEARD IT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 415470: AT 3000 FT ON DOWNWIND, WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL TO RWY 22R. AFTER LNDG, WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT TWR FOR TAXI, BY APCH CTL. I WAS FO/PNF, BECAME BUSY ON BASE PICKING UP RWY AND VASI AND COMPLETING CHKLIST. DO NOT BELIEVE APCH PROMPTED US TO CONTACT TWR. BELIEVE HABIT PATTERN OF USING LAST SWITCH ON OLD MECH CHKLIST FOR CLRNC TO LAND WOULD HAVE HELPED US CATCH THIS. NO OTHER TFC NOTED AS IT WAS EARLY, XA45.

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.