Narrative:

Night visual approach into srq, approach vectored us into right downwind for srq north runway. Captain (me) flying. Told to stay 2600 ft until south of srq ew runway -- captain on 10 mi scale (thought I was on 5 mi). Copilot called turn and spaced downwind since I did not see runway, thinking I had a lot of altitude to lose so dirty up and landing checklist done at base turn. I was flying 'blind', but was using my map (wrong scale) and copilot inputs. Copilot informed me I was getting low (I was). Then he told me he lost the runway (which I have yet to see). At this time I realized I was on the wrong scale, changed it, and realized I was real tight and by now, just a little low. Copilot kept 'vectoring' me until I saw runway. A very tight 35 degree angle of bank turn to final and landing ensued, but in the pressure of flying and navigating, we forgot to get landing clearance from tower. I believe he was watching our 'unusual' approach, realized we had not verbally talked to him, and he gave us a green light clearance to land. I am glad someone had their act together. In retrospect, although I made the parameters of a stabilized approach for line-up at 500 ft, I really should have just gone around when I realized how tight we were and particularly when I 'finally' saw the runway. Also, on a right downwind at an airport I have never been in, let copilot fly -- he had the visual, I don't.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 CAPT WAS MAKING A NIGHT VISUAL APCH TO SRQ. HE DID NOT HAVE THE RWY IN SIGHT. THE NAV DISPLAY WAS ON THE WRONG SCALE. THE CAPT WAS CORRECTED BY THE FO WHEN HE GOT LOW. THE CAPT GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE ARPT, AND FORGOT TO GET LNDG CLRNC FROM THE TWR LCL CTLR. THE ATCT LCL CTLR GAVE THE CREW A 'GREEN' LIGHT FOR LNDG.

Narrative: NIGHT VISUAL APCH INTO SRQ, APCH VECTORED US INTO R DOWNWIND FOR SRQ N RWY. CAPT (ME) FLYING. TOLD TO STAY 2600 FT UNTIL S OF SRQ EW RWY -- CAPT ON 10 MI SCALE (THOUGHT I WAS ON 5 MI). COPLT CALLED TURN AND SPACED DOWNWIND SINCE I DID NOT SEE RWY, THINKING I HAD A LOT OF ALT TO LOSE SO DIRTY UP AND LNDG CHKLIST DONE AT BASE TURN. I WAS FLYING 'BLIND', BUT WAS USING MY MAP (WRONG SCALE) AND COPLT INPUTS. COPLT INFORMED ME I WAS GETTING LOW (I WAS). THEN HE TOLD ME HE LOST THE RWY (WHICH I HAVE YET TO SEE). AT THIS TIME I REALIZED I WAS ON THE WRONG SCALE, CHANGED IT, AND REALIZED I WAS REAL TIGHT AND BY NOW, JUST A LITTLE LOW. COPLT KEPT 'VECTORING' ME UNTIL I SAW RWY. A VERY TIGHT 35 DEG ANGLE OF BANK TURN TO FINAL AND LNDG ENSUED, BUT IN THE PRESSURE OF FLYING AND NAVING, WE FORGOT TO GET LNDG CLRNC FROM TWR. I BELIEVE HE WAS WATCHING OUR 'UNUSUAL' APCH, REALIZED WE HAD NOT VERBALLY TALKED TO HIM, AND HE GAVE US A GREEN LIGHT CLRNC TO LAND. I AM GLAD SOMEONE HAD THEIR ACT TOGETHER. IN RETROSPECT, ALTHOUGH I MADE THE PARAMETERS OF A STABILIZED APCH FOR LINE-UP AT 500 FT, I REALLY SHOULD HAVE JUST GONE AROUND WHEN I REALIZED HOW TIGHT WE WERE AND PARTICULARLY WHEN I 'FINALLY' SAW THE RWY. ALSO, ON A R DOWNWIND AT AN ARPT I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN, LET COPLT FLY -- HE HAD THE VISUAL, I DON'T.

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.