A320 flight crew landing without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	498180
Time
Date	200101
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9800 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	498180
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain selected managed speed early causing aircraft to slow prior to normal. This caused an aircraft (B737) to close the spacing and our TCASII called 'traffic.' at about the same time approach control asked us to go to tower. Before I (the PNF) could go to tower, the ECAM warning system alarmed us of a 'forward cargo door open.' the captain stated 'ECAM action' which requires me to perform the checklist functions. This also relieves the PNF from the radio call responsibilities. Once ECAM checklist items were complete and I looked for the TCASII alerted traffic, I advised the captain I was back with him. He advised no changes. We landed a few seconds later. At this time we realized that we landed without a clearance but ATC (sfo tower) was nice enough not to pursue the matter. We had flown as a crew for 4 previous trips with no problems. The early speed reduction, TCASII alert, and ECAM warning seemed to happen at once, about the same time approach advised contacting the tower. The distrs in the approach and landing environment caused a breakdown in communication with ATC while we were performing our separate duties.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLC LWOC.

Narrative: CAPT SELECTED MANAGED SPD EARLY CAUSING ACFT TO SLOW PRIOR TO NORMAL. THIS CAUSED AN ACFT (B737) TO CLOSE THE SPACING AND OUR TCASII CALLED 'TFC.' AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME APCH CTL ASKED US TO GO TO TWR. BEFORE I (THE PNF) COULD GO TO TWR, THE ECAM WARNING SYS ALARMED US OF A 'FORWARD CARGO DOOR OPEN.' THE CAPT STATED 'ECAM ACTION' WHICH REQUIRES ME TO PERFORM THE CHKLIST FUNCTIONS. THIS ALSO RELIEVES THE PNF FROM THE RADIO CALL RESPONSIBILITIES. ONCE ECAM CHKLIST ITEMS WERE COMPLETE AND I LOOKED FOR THE TCASII ALERTED TFC, I ADVISED THE CAPT I WAS BACK WITH HIM. HE ADVISED NO CHANGES. WE LANDED A FEW SECONDS LATER. AT THIS TIME WE REALIZED THAT WE LANDED WITHOUT A CLRNC BUT ATC (SFO TWR) WAS NICE ENOUGH NOT TO PURSUE THE MATTER. WE HAD FLOWN AS A CREW FOR 4 PREVIOUS TRIPS WITH NO PROBS. THE EARLY SPD REDUCTION, TCASII ALERT, AND ECAM WARNING SEEMED TO HAPPEN AT ONCE, ABOUT THE SAME TIME APCH ADVISED CONTACTING THE TWR. THE DISTRS IN THE APCH AND LNDG ENVIRONMENT CAUSED A BREAKDOWN IN COM WITH ATC WHILE WE WERE PERFORMING OUR SEPARATE DUTIES.

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.