An erj flight crew forgot to switch to tower and landing without clearance at chs.

Attributes
ACN	520270
Time
Date	200108
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : chs.airport
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : den.tower
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4700 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	520270
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence other
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

Narrative:

On aug/sat/01 I was the captain of an erj flight from dca to chs. Chs ATIS was reporting visual approachs to runway 15. While talking to chs approach, we reported the airport in sight about 7 mi out. We were cleared for a visual approach. The approach frequency then got busy and we were never told to contact the tower (if we were, we did not hear it). After landing and clearing the runway, we went to switch over to ground frequency and realized we were still on approach frequency. I checked in with the tower and asked if we had indeed been cleared to land. Tower said they had cleared us to land by giving us a green light and there was no problem. Without hearing the tapes of the radio xmissions to approach, I honestly do not know if we had been cleared to land or not. The tower definitely knew we were coming and I have to assume that approach thought we were talking to the tower. My first officer and I definitely should have caught this mistake. I think we may have gotten distraction by all the radio chatter at the time we should have been changing frequencys. My normal habit patterns and sequence of events were broken by a simple distraction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ERJ FLT CREW FORGOT TO SWITCH TO TWR AND LWOC AT CHS.

Narrative: ON AUG/SAT/01 I WAS THE CAPT OF AN ERJ FLT FROM DCA TO CHS. CHS ATIS WAS RPTING VISUAL APCHS TO RWY 15. WHILE TALKING TO CHS APCH, WE RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT ABOUT 7 MI OUT. WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. THE APCH FREQ THEN GOT BUSY AND WE WERE NEVER TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR (IF WE WERE, WE DID NOT HEAR IT). AFTER LNDG AND CLRING THE RWY, WE WENT TO SWITCH OVER TO GND FREQ AND REALIZED WE WERE STILL ON APCH FREQ. I CHKED IN WITH THE TWR AND ASKED IF WE HAD INDEED BEEN CLRED TO LAND. TWR SAID THEY HAD CLRED US TO LAND BY GIVING US A GREEN LIGHT AND THERE WAS NO PROB. WITHOUT HEARING THE TAPES OF THE RADIO XMISSIONS TO APCH, I HONESTLY DO NOT KNOW IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND OR NOT. THE TWR DEFINITELY KNEW WE WERE COMING AND I HAVE TO ASSUME THAT APCH THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING TO THE TWR. MY FO AND I DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS MISTAKE. I THINK WE MAY HAVE GOTTEN DISTR BY ALL THE RADIO CHATTER AT THE TIME WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGING FREQS. MY NORMAL HABIT PATTERNS AND SEQUENCE OF EVENTS WERE BROKEN BY A SIMPLE DISTR.

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.