GA flight crew encounters ground fog while on approach and lands without clearance at dec.

Attributes
ACN	558207
Time
Date	200208
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dec.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dec.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : dec.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 14300 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	558207
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
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 Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

After reporting the runway in sight to approach, we were cleared for a visual approach and told to contact tower. We contacted tower and were cleared to land. As we approached the runway, I commented to the tower that there were ribbons of fog crossing the airport/runway but the landing area was clear. The tower controller commented 'I'm not surprised.' somewhere amidst all this an aircraft reported ready for takeoff. The controller said, 'hold short for inbound traffic.' after landing, I asked the tower, did he want us to contact ground? He then asked where we were and I said at the rollout end of runway 24. He then said we were not cleared to land as, he was the VFR controller. As we turned off the runway I noticed the tower cabin attendant was totally covered by the fog. About that point the controller said 'it's a moot point,' and asked if we were familiar with the airport. We said we were and he cleared us to taxi to the FBO. He was up in the fog layer and we were below the layer and able to see the taxiway and tower base. I don't recall any further discussion with the tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA FLC ENCOUNTERS GND FOG WHILE ON APCH AND LANDS WITHOUT CLRNC AT DEC.

Narrative: AFTER RPTING THE RWY IN SIGHT TO APCH, WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH AND TOLD TO CONTACT TWR. WE CONTACTED TWR AND WERE CLRED TO LAND. AS WE APCHED THE RWY, I COMMENTED TO THE TWR THAT THERE WERE RIBBONS OF FOG XING THE ARPT/RWY BUT THE LNDG AREA WAS CLR. THE TWR CTLR COMMENTED 'I'M NOT SURPRISED.' SOMEWHERE AMIDST ALL THIS AN ACFT RPTED READY FOR TKOF. THE CTLR SAID, 'HOLD SHORT FOR INBOUND TFC.' AFTER LNDG, I ASKED THE TWR, DID HE WANT US TO CONTACT GND? HE THEN ASKED WHERE WE WERE AND I SAID AT THE ROLLOUT END OF RWY 24. HE THEN SAID WE WERE NOT CLRED TO LAND AS, HE WAS THE VFR CTLR. AS WE TURNED OFF THE RWY I NOTICED THE TWR CAB WAS TOTALLY COVERED BY THE FOG. ABOUT THAT POINT THE CTLR SAID 'IT'S A MOOT POINT,' AND ASKED IF WE WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. WE SAID WE WERE AND HE CLRED US TO TAXI TO THE FBO. HE WAS UP IN THE FOG LAYER AND WE WERE BELOW THE LAYER AND ABLE TO SEE THE TXWY AND TWR BASE. I DON'T RECALL ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE TWR.

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.