Narrative:

This cross country was my first flight as PIC at night, and was the last leg from easterwood to david wayne hooks. I obtained dwh ATIS information prior to entering the dwh class D airspace. It stated that runway 35L was in use. I was at 10 mi DME. After contacting what I thought was hooks tower, my n-number was called and I was told to report 2 mi final for runway 16. No squawk code was given. I had a little difficulty in finding the airport. It was a very clear night, and the city lights appeared much brighter than the runway lights. At 2.5 mi DME, I tried to contact hooks tower. By this time, I was lined up on final for runway 17R at about 1000 ft. No reply was received after several attempts. I could not see any traffic in the pattern, and assumed either my radio had failed, or that the tower was busy doing something else. While watching the tower for light signals, I then landed. After exiting the runway, I used the same radio to switch to ground control. I had no trouble reaching them, nor they in replying. After further investigation, it became apparent that my first contact was with the tower from the airport I had departed from -- easterwood. I apparently had not switched to the correct frequency for the tower I needed. After being given the 'report 2 mi final for runway 16,' I heard what I wanted to hear -- go straight in for runway 17R. The ATC tapes at easterwood confirmed the above instruction, but also contained attempts to communicate to me that I had called the wrong tower. By that time though, I had descended below reception range. My worse mistake was landing without clearance. What I should have done was aborted the landing after no reply was received, flown out of the class D airspace, and then tried to contact the tower by radio or by cell phone.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT LANDED WITHOUT OBTAINING LNDG CLRNC.

Narrative: THIS XCOUNTRY WAS MY FIRST FLT AS PIC AT NIGHT, AND WAS THE LAST LEG FROM EASTERWOOD TO DAVID WAYNE HOOKS. I OBTAINED DWH ATIS INFO PRIOR TO ENTERING THE DWH CLASS D AIRSPACE. IT STATED THAT RWY 35L WAS IN USE. I WAS AT 10 MI DME. AFTER CONTACTING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS HOOKS TWR, MY N-NUMBER WAS CALLED AND I WAS TOLD TO RPT 2 MI FINAL FOR RWY 16. NO SQUAWK CODE WAS GIVEN. I HAD A LITTLE DIFFICULTY IN FINDING THE ARPT. IT WAS A VERY CLR NIGHT, AND THE CITY LIGHTS APPEARED MUCH BRIGHTER THAN THE RWY LIGHTS. AT 2.5 MI DME, I TRIED TO CONTACT HOOKS TWR. BY THIS TIME, I WAS LINED UP ON FINAL FOR RWY 17R AT ABOUT 1000 FT. NO REPLY WAS RECEIVED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. I COULD NOT SEE ANY TFC IN THE PATTERN, AND ASSUMED EITHER MY RADIO HAD FAILED, OR THAT THE TWR WAS BUSY DOING SOMETHING ELSE. WHILE WATCHING THE TWR FOR LIGHT SIGNALS, I THEN LANDED. AFTER EXITING THE RWY, I USED THE SAME RADIO TO SWITCH TO GND CTL. I HAD NO TROUBLE REACHING THEM, NOR THEY IN REPLYING. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT MY FIRST CONTACT WAS WITH THE TWR FROM THE ARPT I HAD DEPARTED FROM -- EASTERWOOD. I APPARENTLY HAD NOT SWITCHED TO THE CORRECT FREQ FOR THE TWR I NEEDED. AFTER BEING GIVEN THE 'RPT 2 MI FINAL FOR RWY 16,' I HEARD WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR -- GO STRAIGHT IN FOR RWY 17R. THE ATC TAPES AT EASTERWOOD CONFIRMED THE ABOVE INSTRUCTION, BUT ALSO CONTAINED ATTEMPTS TO COMMUNICATE TO ME THAT I HAD CALLED THE WRONG TWR. BY THAT TIME THOUGH, I HAD DSNDED BELOW RECEPTION RANGE. MY WORSE MISTAKE WAS LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS ABORTED THE LNDG AFTER NO REPLY WAS RECEIVED, FLOWN OUT OF THE CLASS D AIRSPACE, AND THEN TRIED TO CONTACT THE TWR BY RADIO OR BY CELL PHONE.

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.