A B757-200 flight crew fails to change to tower frequency for landing clearance at pit.

Attributes
ACN	419030
Time
Date	199810
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pit airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
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 : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	419030
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	418657
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera 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:

While on vectors for a CAT IIIB approach to runway 10R at pit, we were given a clearance for the approach and instructed to contact tower at the LOM. At that time the first officer dialed up the tower frequency on the #1 communication box in preparation for the xfer from approach control to tower. Clearing the runway after landing, the first officer switched to ground control and realized tower was not contacted on the final approach. The first officer was then asked by ground control if he had heard the local controller, to which he responded 'no.' we were then given a taxi clearance to our gate with no further mention of a problem. It was at that time I realized that we had landed without hearing a landing clearance. As the captain of the aircraft, I take full responsibility. I believe the error was caused by distrs during a period of a heavy workload. I (PF) am responsible for calling for the landing flaps and a continuation of the landing checklist at the gsecond officerm intercept point. This all happens while monitoring the navigation displays (ADI, HSI) and selecting/directing of a lower airspeed for the new flap selection. I think with all that is going on in the cockpit, it would be more helpful if approach control would give a definite clearance of 'now' to switch over to tower instead of a delayed one. Without having a delay, I don't think the frequency changeover would have been missed. Note: I feel that this situation was my fault and feel very fortunate that a go around was not requested due to a runway obstruction. Supplemental information from acn 418657: as pilots, we are expected to fly first, communicate second. In this case, the communications were not followed up. In the CAT III environment involved, we were still on approach control till switching to ground control. We could have been contacted by approach. Clrncs to contact tower, in radar versus non radar environment, at a point in the future start to open the 'chain.' we could have gone to tower earlier to the detriment of approach control if they needed us. This seems to be a simple communications breakdown, and I'm glad that a go around was not required due to a runway obstruction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 FLC FAILS TO CHANGE TO TWR FREQ FOR LNDG CLRNC AT PIT.

Narrative: WHILE ON VECTORS FOR A CAT IIIB APCH TO RWY 10R AT PIT, WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC FOR THE APCH AND INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT TWR AT THE LOM. AT THAT TIME THE FO DIALED UP THE TWR FREQ ON THE #1 COM BOX IN PREPARATION FOR THE XFER FROM APCH CTL TO TWR. CLRING THE RWY AFTER LNDG, THE FO SWITCHED TO GND CTL AND REALIZED TWR WAS NOT CONTACTED ON THE FINAL APCH. THE FO WAS THEN ASKED BY GND CTL IF HE HAD HEARD THE LCL CTLR, TO WHICH HE RESPONDED 'NO.' WE WERE THEN GIVEN A TAXI CLRNC TO OUR GATE WITH NO FURTHER MENTION OF A PROB. IT WAS AT THAT TIME I REALIZED THAT WE HAD LANDED WITHOUT HEARING A LNDG CLRNC. AS THE CAPT OF THE ACFT, I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY. I BELIEVE THE ERROR WAS CAUSED BY DISTRS DURING A PERIOD OF A HVY WORKLOAD. I (PF) AM RESPONSIBLE FOR CALLING FOR THE LNDG FLAPS AND A CONTINUATION OF THE LNDG CHKLIST AT THE GS/OM INTERCEPT POINT. THIS ALL HAPPENS WHILE MONITORING THE NAV DISPLAYS (ADI, HSI) AND SELECTING/DIRECTING OF A LOWER AIRSPD FOR THE NEW FLAP SELECTION. I THINK WITH ALL THAT IS GOING ON IN THE COCKPIT, IT WOULD BE MORE HELPFUL IF APCH CTL WOULD GIVE A DEFINITE CLRNC OF 'NOW' TO SWITCH OVER TO TWR INSTEAD OF A DELAYED ONE. WITHOUT HAVING A DELAY, I DON'T THINK THE FREQ CHANGEOVER WOULD HAVE BEEN MISSED. NOTE: I FEEL THAT THIS SIT WAS MY FAULT AND FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT A GAR WAS NOT REQUESTED DUE TO A RWY OBSTRUCTION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 418657: AS PLTS, WE ARE EXPECTED TO FLY FIRST, COMMUNICATE SECOND. IN THIS CASE, THE COMS WERE NOT FOLLOWED UP. IN THE CAT III ENVIRONMENT INVOLVED, WE WERE STILL ON APCH CTL TILL SWITCHING TO GND CTL. WE COULD HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY APCH. CLRNCS TO CONTACT TWR, IN RADAR VERSUS NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT, AT A POINT IN THE FUTURE START TO OPEN THE 'CHAIN.' WE COULD HAVE GONE TO TWR EARLIER TO THE DETRIMENT OF APCH CTL IF THEY NEEDED US. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SIMPLE COMS BREAKDOWN, AND I'M GLAD THAT A GAR WAS NOT REQUIRED DUE TO A RWY OBSTRUCTION.

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.