A CL65 flight crew may have landed without a clearance at dca.

Attributes
ACN	581714
Time
Date	200305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 89 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	581714
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Airspace Structure Airport ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Night VMC approach into dca using river visual runway 19. Potomac approach had us intercept course approximately 4 DME from dca. During the approach, I remember ATC clearing us for the river visual runway 19, but they never handed us to tower. Once on the ground, I was unsure if ATC had issued a landing clearance or not. The first officer (who was flying) could not recall the clearance either. When we contacted ground to taxi, no mention was made of it, so we assumed that a clearance was issued to us. However, since we could not positively recall the clearance, we felt it would be best to report the situation. Contributing factors: captain with less than 100 hours in seat and 2ND time in over 3 yrs performing this approach. First officer with just over 100 hours in seat and 1ST time performing approach. Approach was 4 DME fixes, 2 prohibited area? And 9 visual fixes. I recommend that this visual approach be restr to day VMC only.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 FLT CREW MAY HAVE LANDED WITHOUT A CLRNC AT DCA.

Narrative: NIGHT VMC APCH INTO DCA USING RIVER VISUAL RWY 19. POTOMAC APCH HAD US INTERCEPT COURSE APPROX 4 DME FROM DCA. DURING THE APCH, I REMEMBER ATC CLRING US FOR THE RIVER VISUAL RWY 19, BUT THEY NEVER HANDED US TO TWR. ONCE ON THE GND, I WAS UNSURE IF ATC HAD ISSUED A LNDG CLRNC OR NOT. THE FO (WHO WAS FLYING) COULD NOT RECALL THE CLRNC EITHER. WHEN WE CONTACTED GND TO TAXI, NO MENTION WAS MADE OF IT, SO WE ASSUMED THAT A CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO US. HOWEVER, SINCE WE COULD NOT POSITIVELY RECALL THE CLRNC, WE FELT IT WOULD BE BEST TO RPT THE SIT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: CAPT WITH LESS THAN 100 HRS IN SEAT AND 2ND TIME IN OVER 3 YRS PERFORMING THIS APCH. FO WITH JUST OVER 100 HRS IN SEAT AND 1ST TIME PERFORMING APCH. APCH WAS 4 DME FIXES, 2 PROHIBITED AREA? AND 9 VISUAL FIXES. I RECOMMEND THAT THIS VISUAL APCH BE RESTR TO DAY VMC ONLY.

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.