Narrative:

En route from idaho falls to pocatello, I was the PNF, my first officer was the PF. ATC (pocatello tower) told us to report a 4 NM final. Meanwhile, we were still about 15 NM from the field. Hot WX and gusting surface winds of 20+ KTS created a turbulent flight at low altitude (cruise was only 9000 ft) tower was working a light aircraft on practice approachs to the south (we were inbound from the north). After landing, ATC stated he had not heard a 4 mi report from us. After parking, I phoned the tower and asked if we had landed without clearance, as I now suspected. He indicted we had. I asked if there had been any traffic that was a factor, he said no. I also asked if he had us in sight prior to landing, he said yes. I asked if he had forgotten to clear us to land, he indicated he had. This does not relieve me of my required call at 4 NM. I just wanted to make sure he hadn't intentionally failed to clear us to land since we did not give a 4 NM call. I am certain he did not do that intentionally. Contributing factors for crew members were fatigue after an early report time, 6 legs of flying and I believe that because we had been on the same approach earlier that day -- it seemed as though we had been cleared -- dejavie if you will. Although I frequently verify clrncs, this time I did not. I intend to increase vigilance in this area in the future. Supplemental information from acn 584089: at 10 NM I realized we were still high and fast for the approach and called for condition levers to 1050 to help slow for confign. I called for approach checklist, at 4 NM. At about 800 ft I glanced at the landing, approach and taxi light switches to see they were all on. After rollout we were informed that we missed the 3 mi call by tower. I asked the captain if we had been cleared to land, he said he didn't remember receiving the clearance as did I. Contributing factors -- unfamiliar area, turbulence, fatigue (we were at 10 hours duty late out of hub trying to make up some time). We hurried the approach, and my assumption that the lights were turned on upon receiving clearance allowed me to land without question. We should have slowed down via a 360 degree turn. This would have allowed us to get ahead of the aircraft and minimize the workload.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DHC8 FLT CREW FAILED TO CALL PIH TWR AT THE REQUESTED 4 MI FINAL AND LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM IDAHO FALLS TO POCATELLO, I WAS THE PNF, MY FO WAS THE PF. ATC (POCATELLO TWR) TOLD US TO RPT A 4 NM FINAL. MEANWHILE, WE WERE STILL ABOUT 15 NM FROM THE FIELD. HOT WX AND GUSTING SURFACE WINDS OF 20+ KTS CREATED A TURBULENT FLT AT LOW ALT (CRUISE WAS ONLY 9000 FT) TWR WAS WORKING A LIGHT ACFT ON PRACTICE APCHS TO THE S (WE WERE INBOUND FROM THE N). AFTER LNDG, ATC STATED HE HAD NOT HEARD A 4 MI RPT FROM US. AFTER PARKING, I PHONED THE TWR AND ASKED IF WE HAD LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC, AS I NOW SUSPECTED. HE INDICTED WE HAD. I ASKED IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY TFC THAT WAS A FACTOR, HE SAID NO. I ALSO ASKED IF HE HAD US IN SIGHT PRIOR TO LNDG, HE SAID YES. I ASKED IF HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO CLR US TO LAND, HE INDICATED HE HAD. THIS DOES NOT RELIEVE ME OF MY REQUIRED CALL AT 4 NM. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE HE HADN'T INTENTIONALLY FAILED TO CLR US TO LAND SINCE WE DID NOT GIVE A 4 NM CALL. I AM CERTAIN HE DID NOT DO THAT INTENTIONALLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR CREW MEMBERS WERE FATIGUE AFTER AN EARLY RPT TIME, 6 LEGS OF FLYING AND I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN ON THE SAME APCH EARLIER THAT DAY -- IT SEEMED AS THOUGH WE HAD BEEN CLRED -- DEJAVIE IF YOU WILL. ALTHOUGH I FREQUENTLY VERIFY CLRNCS, THIS TIME I DID NOT. I INTEND TO INCREASE VIGILANCE IN THIS AREA IN THE FUTURE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 584089: AT 10 NM I REALIZED WE WERE STILL HIGH AND FAST FOR THE APCH AND CALLED FOR CONDITION LEVERS TO 1050 TO HELP SLOW FOR CONFIGN. I CALLED FOR APCH CHKLIST, AT 4 NM. AT ABOUT 800 FT I GLANCED AT THE LNDG, APCH AND TAXI LIGHT SWITCHES TO SEE THEY WERE ALL ON. AFTER ROLLOUT WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE MISSED THE 3 MI CALL BY TWR. I ASKED THE CAPT IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND, HE SAID HE DIDN'T REMEMBER RECEIVING THE CLRNC AS DID I. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS -- UNFAMILIAR AREA, TURB, FATIGUE (WE WERE AT 10 HRS DUTY LATE OUT OF HUB TRYING TO MAKE UP SOME TIME). WE HURRIED THE APCH, AND MY ASSUMPTION THAT THE LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON UPON RECEIVING CLRNC ALLOWED ME TO LAND WITHOUT QUESTION. WE SHOULD HAVE SLOWED DOWN VIA A 360 DEG TURN. THIS WOULD HAVE ALLOWED US TO GET AHEAD OF THE ACFT AND MINIMIZE THE WORKLOAD.

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.