Narrative:

I was a CFI on a return training flight, with a private pilot student, to centennial airport (apa) from jefferson country airport (bjc). The student developed a problem with her headset that made it impossible for her to transmit or communicate with me (via installed intercom system) or ATC -- she could hear only. Therefore, I was handling the radio work and trying to troubleshoot the communication problem while she flew the plane. We were released from ZDV and instructed to squawk VFR and to contact apa tower on 118.9 MHZ. I contacted apa tower and reported that we were 3 mi northwest of cherry creek reservoir, with ATIS, and wanted touch and goes. I believe that I heard the apa tower controller instruct us to 'proceed to the south shore of the reservoir for straight-in, runway 17R, then right traffic.' I also believe that is what I repeated back to the controller. We proceed to the south shore of the reservoir and set up for the long 5 mi final to runway 17R. We executed the touch and go on runway 17R and proceeded upwind for right traffic. During the upwind, the tower controller called and asked if we were the aircraft on the upwind. I replied 'yes' and he then informed me that I had not been given a landing clearance, and was also instructed to 'report a 2 mi final.' he then instructed us to continue with right traffic for further touch and goes which we complied with for the rest of the flight. Obviously, I thought that I had been cleared for the touch and go when given the instructions to 'fly to the south shore of cherry creek reservoir for straight-in, runway 17R, then right traffic.' I do not recall being given the instruction to 'report 2 mi final' (even though if I had received such instruction, I would have been required to repeat it back) but I do admit that I was distracted with trying to troubleshoot the communications problem we were having. I also admit that I do not recall being given a specific instruction such as 'cleared for touch and go, runway 17R, then right traffic' as what is the normal procedure at this airport. Also, if in fact a request was made by the controller to 'report a 2 mi final,' I question why I was allowed to proceed for 5 mi, on a straight-in approach, and a touch and go, before the controller inquired as to if I was the upwind aircraft -- at the time, I was the only aircraft in the traffic pattern for runway 17R -- the runway most often used for touch and go traffic. The lesson I learned here, is to ignore everything else that is going on and fly the plane. By doing that, chances of missing a call from the tower, or being aware that a landing clearance has not been issued, will be much less.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT MADE TOUCH AND GO LNDG WITHOUT RECEIVING A CLRNC FROM ATC.

Narrative: I WAS A CFI ON A RETURN TRAINING FLT, WITH A PVT PLT STUDENT, TO CENTENNIAL ARPT (APA) FROM JEFFERSON COUNTRY ARPT (BJC). THE STUDENT DEVELOPED A PROB WITH HER HEADSET THAT MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR HER TO XMIT OR COMMUNICATE WITH ME (VIA INSTALLED INTERCOM SYS) OR ATC -- SHE COULD HEAR ONLY. THEREFORE, I WAS HANDLING THE RADIO WORK AND TRYING TO TROUBLESHOOT THE COM PROB WHILE SHE FLEW THE PLANE. WE WERE RELEASED FROM ZDV AND INSTRUCTED TO SQUAWK VFR AND TO CONTACT APA TWR ON 118.9 MHZ. I CONTACTED APA TWR AND RPTED THAT WE WERE 3 MI NW OF CHERRY CREEK RESERVOIR, WITH ATIS, AND WANTED TOUCH AND GOES. I BELIEVE THAT I HEARD THE APA TWR CTLR INSTRUCT US TO 'PROCEED TO THE S SHORE OF THE RESERVOIR FOR STRAIGHT-IN, RWY 17R, THEN R TFC.' I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT I REPEATED BACK TO THE CTLR. WE PROCEED TO THE S SHORE OF THE RESERVOIR AND SET UP FOR THE LONG 5 MI FINAL TO RWY 17R. WE EXECUTED THE TOUCH AND GO ON RWY 17R AND PROCEEDED UPWIND FOR R TFC. DURING THE UPWIND, THE TWR CTLR CALLED AND ASKED IF WE WERE THE ACFT ON THE UPWIND. I REPLIED 'YES' AND HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT I HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN A LNDG CLRNC, AND WAS ALSO INSTRUCTED TO 'RPT A 2 MI FINAL.' HE THEN INSTRUCTED US TO CONTINUE WITH R TFC FOR FURTHER TOUCH AND GOES WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH FOR THE REST OF THE FLT. OBVIOUSLY, I THOUGHT THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE TOUCH AND GO WHEN GIVEN THE INSTRUCTIONS TO 'FLY TO THE S SHORE OF CHERRY CREEK RESERVOIR FOR STRAIGHT-IN, RWY 17R, THEN R TFC.' I DO NOT RECALL BEING GIVEN THE INSTRUCTION TO 'RPT 2 MI FINAL' (EVEN THOUGH IF I HAD RECEIVED SUCH INSTRUCTION, I WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO REPEAT IT BACK) BUT I DO ADMIT THAT I WAS DISTRACTED WITH TRYING TO TROUBLESHOOT THE COMS PROB WE WERE HAVING. I ALSO ADMIT THAT I DO NOT RECALL BEING GIVEN A SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION SUCH AS 'CLRED FOR TOUCH AND GO, RWY 17R, THEN R TFC' AS WHAT IS THE NORMAL PROC AT THIS ARPT. ALSO, IF IN FACT A REQUEST WAS MADE BY THE CTLR TO 'RPT A 2 MI FINAL,' I QUESTION WHY I WAS ALLOWED TO PROCEED FOR 5 MI, ON A STRAIGHT-IN APCH, AND A TOUCH AND GO, BEFORE THE CTLR INQUIRED AS TO IF I WAS THE UPWIND ACFT -- AT THE TIME, I WAS THE ONLY ACFT IN THE TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 17R -- THE RWY MOST OFTEN USED FOR TOUCH AND GO TFC. THE LESSON I LEARNED HERE, IS TO IGNORE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS GOING ON AND FLY THE PLANE. BY DOING THAT, CHANCES OF MISSING A CALL FROM THE TWR, OR BEING AWARE THAT A LNDG CLRNC HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED, WILL BE MUCH LESS.

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.