Narrative:

On the return leg of a solo night cross country flight, I was receiving VFR advisories from approach. The field came into sight 10 mi out, and I canceled VFR advisories and listened to the ATIS information. 7 mi ene of the field, I contacted tower and was instructed to enter a right downwind for runway 27. Continuing to the field, I heard no other traffic on the radio and would not see any other planes in the traffic pattern. 4 mi out, I requested a straight in approach to runway 27, and was instructed to report a 3 mi final for runway 27. I turned to the left, intercepted the runway centerline, and reported 3 mi out. Before tower could respond, another plane cut in on the radio to request a transition of the class D airspace. This led to a long exchange between tower and the other plane, as the controller had to ask the pilot to repeat or clarify his responses several times. During the exchange, tower advised the other pilot that the only traffic was me, on '2 mi final for runway 27.' I completed my approach, landed without incident and exited the runway. The controller then informed me that I had landed without a clearance. There were several factors that contributed to this error. First was increased workload during the final part of the approach due to elevated terrain, night conditions, lack of familiarity with the approach (the commonly used runway was closed for construction), gusty wind conditions and lack of vertical guidance on the approach. Second, my limited night flight experience was a factor. Third, the interruption of the other pilot, and the resulting confusion at the point where the tower would normally give a landing clearance was a factor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 PLT BECAME SO DISTR BY ANOTHER ACFT REQUESTING A THROUGH CLRNC THAT HE LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: ON THE RETURN LEG OF A SOLO NIGHT XCOUNTRY FLT, I WAS RECEIVING VFR ADVISORIES FROM APCH. THE FIELD CAME INTO SIGHT 10 MI OUT, AND I CANCELED VFR ADVISORIES AND LISTENED TO THE ATIS INFO. 7 MI ENE OF THE FIELD, I CONTACTED TWR AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 27. CONTINUING TO THE FIELD, I HEARD NO OTHER TFC ON THE RADIO AND WOULD NOT SEE ANY OTHER PLANES IN THE TFC PATTERN. 4 MI OUT, I REQUESTED A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RWY 27, AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO RPT A 3 MI FINAL FOR RWY 27. I TURNED TO THE L, INTERCEPTED THE RWY CTRLINE, AND RPTED 3 MI OUT. BEFORE TWR COULD RESPOND, ANOTHER PLANE CUT IN ON THE RADIO TO REQUEST A TRANSITION OF THE CLASS D AIRSPACE. THIS LED TO A LONG EXCHANGE BTWN TWR AND THE OTHER PLANE, AS THE CTLR HAD TO ASK THE PLT TO REPEAT OR CLARIFY HIS RESPONSES SEVERAL TIMES. DURING THE EXCHANGE, TWR ADVISED THE OTHER PLT THAT THE ONLY TFC WAS ME, ON '2 MI FINAL FOR RWY 27.' I COMPLETED MY APCH, LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND EXITED THE RWY. THE CTLR THEN INFORMED ME THAT I HAD LANDED WITHOUT A CLRNC. THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ERROR. FIRST WAS INCREASED WORKLOAD DURING THE FINAL PART OF THE APCH DUE TO ELEVATED TERRAIN, NIGHT CONDITIONS, LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE APCH (THE COMMONLY USED RWY WAS CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION), GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS AND LACK OF VERT GUIDANCE ON THE APCH. SECOND, MY LIMITED NIGHT FLT EXPERIENCE WAS A FACTOR. THIRD, THE INTERRUPTION OF THE OTHER PLT, AND THE RESULTING CONFUSION AT THE POINT WHERE THE TWR WOULD NORMALLY GIVE A LNDG CLRNC WAS A FACTOR.

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.