Narrative:

On approach to runway 31R at jfk, after vectors to final, we were cleared for the approach. The controller's voice had been female. It had been a somewhat rushed approach from the standpoint that the controller wanted a greater speed than the one that we requested. A compromise was made. We were configured and checklist completed at zulab (FAF). The tower frequency was tuned. At around 1500 ft, we heard a male voice say 'aircraft X heavy?' the PNF said after we realized that we had not called the tower 'aircraft X heavy inside zulab for runway 31R.' we both believe that we heard the male voice say 'aircraft X heavy, cleared to land runway 31R.' PNF replied 'aircraft X cleared to land runway 31R.' at 1000 ft, the proper callouts were made an I acknowledged 'cleared to land runway 31R.' after turning off the runway, I heard the PNF say that we were still on approach frequency. We contacted ground. We were cleared to the gate. There was no tower. He asked why, showing no concern. I said 'it was about a clearance question.' I spoke with supervisor who said he wasn't aware of any problem. We agreed that it would be very unusual to be cleared to land by approach control. He said that he would look into it, saying that there has been training going on a lot. My first officer and I were very perplexed. We debriefed that evening. We still believe that we heard a clearance for us to land. We did have 121.5 up. Maybe the clearance came from tower, if it did at all, on 121.5. Contributing factors: getting a bit rushed. Hearing a different voice on frequency. I usually check the frequency at the 1000 ft calls, but failed to do that on this flight. One other matter that still was in our control, though. They were running the approachs into the airport in IFR conditions as if in clear conditions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 FLT CREW LANDS WITHOUT TWR CLRNC AT JFK.

Narrative: ON APCH TO RWY 31R AT JFK, AFTER VECTORS TO FINAL, WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. THE CTLR'S VOICE HAD BEEN FEMALE. IT HAD BEEN A SOMEWHAT RUSHED APCH FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT THE CTLR WANTED A GREATER SPD THAN THE ONE THAT WE REQUESTED. A COMPROMISE WAS MADE. WE WERE CONFIGURED AND CHKLIST COMPLETED AT ZULAB (FAF). THE TWR FREQ WAS TUNED. AT AROUND 1500 FT, WE HEARD A MALE VOICE SAY 'ACFT X HVY?' THE PNF SAID AFTER WE REALIZED THAT WE HAD NOT CALLED THE TWR 'ACFT X HVY INSIDE ZULAB FOR RWY 31R.' WE BOTH BELIEVE THAT WE HEARD THE MALE VOICE SAY 'ACFT X HVY, CLRED TO LAND RWY 31R.' PNF REPLIED 'ACFT X CLRED TO LAND RWY 31R.' AT 1000 FT, THE PROPER CALLOUTS WERE MADE AN I ACKNOWLEDGED 'CLRED TO LAND RWY 31R.' AFTER TURNING OFF THE RWY, I HEARD THE PNF SAY THAT WE WERE STILL ON APCH FREQ. WE CONTACTED GND. WE WERE CLRED TO THE GATE. THERE WAS NO TWR. HE ASKED WHY, SHOWING NO CONCERN. I SAID 'IT WAS ABOUT A CLRNC QUESTION.' I SPOKE WITH SUPVR WHO SAID HE WASN'T AWARE OF ANY PROB. WE AGREED THAT IT WOULD BE VERY UNUSUAL TO BE CLRED TO LAND BY APCH CTL. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT, SAYING THAT THERE HAS BEEN TRAINING GOING ON A LOT. MY FO AND I WERE VERY PERPLEXED. WE DEBRIEFED THAT EVENING. WE STILL BELIEVE THAT WE HEARD A CLRNC FOR US TO LAND. WE DID HAVE 121.5 UP. MAYBE THE CLRNC CAME FROM TWR, IF IT DID AT ALL, ON 121.5. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: GETTING A BIT RUSHED. HEARING A DIFFERENT VOICE ON FREQ. I USUALLY CHK THE FREQ AT THE 1000 FT CALLS, BUT FAILED TO DO THAT ON THIS FLT. ONE OTHER MATTER THAT STILL WAS IN OUR CTL, THOUGH. THEY WERE RUNNING THE APCHS INTO THE ARPT IN IFR CONDITIONS AS IF IN CLR CONDITIONS.

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.