Narrative:

I was the PNF and operating the radios. Regional approach cleared us for the visual approach to runway 18 at dfw from approximately 5 mi. Approach referenced our only traffic to follow on 1/2 mi final and instructed us to contact tower on 124.15. As I dialed in 124.15 into the radio standby position, the first officer called for the gear down and I forgot to FLIP the radio to the active position. We completed our checklists and conducted the approach and landing as normal. Upon clearing the runway, after landing, approach control queried us on approach frequency. At this time both the first officer and myself realized we were still on approach control frequency and had never contacted tower. We, therefore, never received a landing clearance. We contacted ground control and were cleared to taxi normally with no comments or concerns by the controller. Although I have been multitasked countless times before, I believe the flow of switching to, and contacting, tower may have been interrupted by the procedures that are initiated when the PF calls for gear down. Although not associated with my flow being broken, I did break my habit of reconfirming that my taxi light was on to indicate we were cleared to land. Additionally, ATC did not conduct a successful radio search for us until enough time had elapsed that we were already on the ground.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SF340 CAPT ADMITTED NOT HAVING PERMISSION TO LAND AT DFW.

Narrative: I WAS THE PNF AND OPERATING THE RADIOS. REGIONAL APCH CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18 AT DFW FROM APPROX 5 MI. APCH REFERENCED OUR ONLY TFC TO FOLLOW ON 1/2 MI FINAL AND INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT TWR ON 124.15. AS I DIALED IN 124.15 INTO THE RADIO STANDBY POS, THE FO CALLED FOR THE GEAR DOWN AND I FORGOT TO FLIP THE RADIO TO THE ACTIVE POS. WE COMPLETED OUR CHKLISTS AND CONDUCTED THE APCH AND LNDG AS NORMAL. UPON CLRING THE RWY, AFTER LNDG, APCH CTL QUERIED US ON APCH FREQ. AT THIS TIME BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF REALIZED WE WERE STILL ON APCH CTL FREQ AND HAD NEVER CONTACTED TWR. WE, THEREFORE, NEVER RECEIVED A LNDG CLRNC. WE CONTACTED GND CTL AND WERE CLRED TO TAXI NORMALLY WITH NO COMMENTS OR CONCERNS BY THE CTLR. ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN MULTITASKED COUNTLESS TIMES BEFORE, I BELIEVE THE FLOW OF SWITCHING TO, AND CONTACTING, TWR MAY HAVE BEEN INTERRUPTED BY THE PROCS THAT ARE INITIATED WHEN THE PF CALLS FOR GEAR DOWN. ALTHOUGH NOT ASSOCIATED WITH MY FLOW BEING BROKEN, I DID BREAK MY HABIT OF RECONFIRMING THAT MY TAXI LIGHT WAS ON TO INDICATE WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. ADDITIONALLY, ATC DID NOT CONDUCT A SUCCESSFUL RADIO SEARCH FOR US UNTIL ENOUGH TIME HAD ELAPSED THAT WE WERE ALREADY ON THE GND.

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.