Narrative:

Inbound on vectors for visual approach to runway 35 kslc, approach control requested I maintain maximum forward speed, which I complied with and acknowledged. Abeam the approach end of runway 35 on left downwind, I was cleared from 7000 to 6500 ft (approximately 2300 ft AGL), instructed to turn left base at approximately 4 mi from the approach end of runway 35, followed by clearance for a visual approach. I was preoccupied with showing my airplane to flap/gear speed, which I would have done sooner had I known approach was going to turn me in so soon. Also, the airport was extremely busy that night and approach turned me in what seemed very close to a proceeding aircraft. I was not instructed to contact tower. By short final, the preceding aircraft had exited the runway. I had my gear and flaps down and prelndg checklist/flow check complete when I realized I hadn't received landing clearance. I queried approach. He replied with 'contact tower' (not stating frequency), and I contacted tower on 118.3 and received clearance just before touching down. After clearing the runway, ground control gave me a number to contact tower after shutdown. After shutdown, I called tower and the controller I spoke with said he wanted to be sure I knew I was cleared to land prior to touchdown, that prior to my call-up on tower frequency, the tower had been displaying a green light gun signal. We discussed how if approach doesn't hand me off to tower within 5 mi of the runway, I should be extra vigilant and query approach much sooner. I will be alert for this in the future, and I'm sure I would have caught the mistake sooner, had I not been so high on approach, fast, and close to the preceding aircraft. Also, the route is new to me, as well as operations at kslc.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ON VISUAL APCH TO SLC WAS LATE IN CONTACTING TWR FOR CLRNC.

Narrative: INBOUND ON VECTORS FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 35 KSLC, APCH CTL REQUESTED I MAINTAIN MAX FORWARD SPD, WHICH I COMPLIED WITH AND ACKNOWLEDGED. ABEAM THE APCH END OF RWY 35 ON L DOWNWIND, I WAS CLRED FROM 7000 TO 6500 FT (APPROX 2300 FT AGL), INSTRUCTED TO TURN L BASE AT APPROX 4 MI FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 35, FOLLOWED BY CLRNC FOR A VISUAL APCH. I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH SHOWING MY AIRPLANE TO FLAP/GEAR SPD, WHICH I WOULD HAVE DONE SOONER HAD I KNOWN APCH WAS GOING TO TURN ME IN SO SOON. ALSO, THE ARPT WAS EXTREMELY BUSY THAT NIGHT AND APCH TURNED ME IN WHAT SEEMED VERY CLOSE TO A PROCEEDING ACFT. I WAS NOT INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT TWR. BY SHORT FINAL, THE PRECEDING ACFT HAD EXITED THE RWY. I HAD MY GEAR AND FLAPS DOWN AND PRELNDG CHKLIST/FLOW CHK COMPLETE WHEN I REALIZED I HADN'T RECEIVED LNDG CLRNC. I QUERIED APCH. HE REPLIED WITH 'CONTACT TWR' (NOT STATING FREQ), AND I CONTACTED TWR ON 118.3 AND RECEIVED CLRNC JUST BEFORE TOUCHING DOWN. AFTER CLRING THE RWY, GND CTL GAVE ME A NUMBER TO CONTACT TWR AFTER SHUTDOWN. AFTER SHUTDOWN, I CALLED TWR AND THE CTLR I SPOKE WITH SAID HE WANTED TO BE SURE I KNEW I WAS CLRED TO LAND PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THAT PRIOR TO MY CALL-UP ON TWR FREQ, THE TWR HAD BEEN DISPLAYING A GREEN LIGHT GUN SIGNAL. WE DISCUSSED HOW IF APCH DOESN'T HAND ME OFF TO TWR WITHIN 5 MI OF THE RWY, I SHOULD BE EXTRA VIGILANT AND QUERY APCH MUCH SOONER. I WILL BE ALERT FOR THIS IN THE FUTURE, AND I'M SURE I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE MISTAKE SOONER, HAD I NOT BEEN SO HIGH ON APCH, FAST, AND CLOSE TO THE PRECEDING ACFT. ALSO, THE RTE IS NEW TO ME, AS WELL AS OPS AT KSLC.

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.