A B757-200 flight crew on a visual GS out approach to runway 21L lands without clearance at dtw, mi.

Attributes
ACN	483060
Time
Date	200008
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dtw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 21l other other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : instrument non precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	483060
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Navigational Facility Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer was PF. We were being vectored for a visual approach to runway 21L in detroit. GS was notamed out and the runway does not have VASI or PAPI. At 4000 ft MSL approach asked if we had the field. We acknowledged in the affirmative and were given clearance for the visual approach and directed to call tower at the marker. I thought we were a little high and made sure my marker beacon was selected on the audio panel to check the altitude. First officer lost his flight director bars even though we were in VNAV because of the inoperative GS. He asked me to turn the flight directors off and back on. Speed and spacing looked good and VNAV path indicator showed on profile. Finished configuring and the landing checklist when flight director failed again. Bars went out of view and first officer asked me to recycle them. I did on short final. Just as we touched down I realized I had not switched over to tower for the first time in 31 yrs of flying. I'm new as a captain on the B757 with fewer than 200 hours in the left seat. My prior time was over 13 yrs ago. I got behind and got out of my normal flow with the inoperative GS and flight director problem. I should have just told the first officer to fly raw data and the 'chinese' GS. On rollout, switched to tower as they told us to expedite off for traffic behind us. No aircraft were awaiting takeoff clearance on runway 21L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 FLC ON A VISUAL GS OUT APCH TO RWY 21L LANDS WITHOUT CLRNC AT DTW, MI.

Narrative: FO WAS PF. WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 21L IN DETROIT. GS WAS NOTAMED OUT AND THE RWY DOES NOT HAVE VASI OR PAPI. AT 4000 FT MSL APCH ASKED IF WE HAD THE FIELD. WE ACKNOWLEDGED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND WERE GIVEN CLRNC FOR THE VISUAL APCH AND DIRECTED TO CALL TWR AT THE MARKER. I THOUGHT WE WERE A LITTLE HIGH AND MADE SURE MY MARKER BEACON WAS SELECTED ON THE AUDIO PANEL TO CHK THE ALT. FO LOST HIS FLT DIRECTOR BARS EVEN THOUGH WE WERE IN VNAV BECAUSE OF THE INOP GS. HE ASKED ME TO TURN THE FLT DIRECTORS OFF AND BACK ON. SPD AND SPACING LOOKED GOOD AND VNAV PATH INDICATOR SHOWED ON PROFILE. FINISHED CONFIGURING AND THE LNDG CHKLIST WHEN FLT DIRECTOR FAILED AGAIN. BARS WENT OUT OF VIEW AND FO ASKED ME TO RECYCLE THEM. I DID ON SHORT FINAL. JUST AS WE TOUCHED DOWN I REALIZED I HAD NOT SWITCHED OVER TO TWR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 31 YRS OF FLYING. I'M NEW AS A CAPT ON THE B757 WITH FEWER THAN 200 HRS IN THE L SEAT. MY PRIOR TIME WAS OVER 13 YRS AGO. I GOT BEHIND AND GOT OUT OF MY NORMAL FLOW WITH THE INOP GS AND FLT DIRECTOR PROB. I SHOULD HAVE JUST TOLD THE FO TO FLY RAW DATA AND THE 'CHINESE' GS. ON ROLLOUT, SWITCHED TO TWR AS THEY TOLD US TO EXPEDITE OFF FOR TFC BEHIND US. NO ACFT WERE AWAITING TKOF CLRNC ON RWY 21L.

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.