Narrative:

While on approach into gooy air carrier abxx was cleared for the VOR/DME ILS runway 36 from approach about 80 mi out on the slo 2V arrival. Descending through about FL80 we were confirmed cleared (by tower) for the VOR DME ILS runway 36 and advised to advise tower joining the localizer inbound. About that time dakar tower (also operating ground) cleared air carrier abyy to taxi to taxiway S1, hold short runway 36. I believe the female controller was in training as she would occasionally mix-up our flight numbers (abxx and abyy). Joining final we started to overshoot final approach course so I disengaged the autoplt and flew the aircraft onto the ILS avoiding the overshoot as tower called us confirming that we were established inbound. It was at this time that I believe dakar cleared us to land. After landing the female controller cleared us to taxi to the end of the runway, turn around, back taxi and taxi to J-9. Here once again she mixed up our call sign, air carrier abxx with air carrier abyy. About 30 seconds after our clearance her supervisor called and asked when we were cleared to land. I advised tower that we had been cleared to land, however, dakar tower continued to believe that we had not been cleared to land. Supplemental information from acn 635752: she questioned if we were established on the localizer. I replied, 'no, we're turning to intercept the localizer.' it was at this time that the first officer and I thought she cleared us for landing. The male controller (perhaps supervisor) told us he was filing an accident report, as we had landed without clearance. It should be noted that communication in africa is difficult at best. Controllers switch back and forth between english and french often and they speak very fast. 'Say again' is common terminology for most american pilots. Supplemental information from acn 635751: I remember being cleared for localizer and then landing clearance. A B747 was holding short so we were all aware of a possible conflict and collectively assured ourselves of the landing clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING A MIX UP WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING FLT NUMBERS BY A DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR AN MD11 CARGO FLT CREW IS ACCUSED OF LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC BY SUPVR CTLR AT GOOY.

Narrative: WHILE ON APCH INTO GOOY ACR ABXX WAS CLRED FOR THE VOR/DME ILS RWY 36 FROM APCH ABOUT 80 MI OUT ON THE SLO 2V ARR. DSNDING THROUGH ABOUT FL80 WE WERE CONFIRMED CLRED (BY TWR) FOR THE VOR DME ILS RWY 36 AND ADVISED TO ADVISE TWR JOINING THE LOC INBOUND. ABOUT THAT TIME DAKAR TWR (ALSO OPERATING GND) CLRED ACR ABYY TO TAXI TO TXWY S1, HOLD SHORT RWY 36. I BELIEVE THE FEMALE CTLR WAS IN TRAINING AS SHE WOULD OCCASIONALLY MIX-UP OUR FLT NUMBERS (ABXX AND ABYY). JOINING FINAL WE STARTED TO OVERSHOOT FINAL APCH COURSE SO I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND FLEW THE ACFT ONTO THE ILS AVOIDING THE OVERSHOOT AS TWR CALLED US CONFIRMING THAT WE WERE ESTABLISHED INBOUND. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT I BELIEVE DAKAR CLRED US TO LAND. AFTER LNDG THE FEMALE CTLR CLRED US TO TAXI TO THE END OF THE RWY, TURN AROUND, BACK TAXI AND TAXI TO J-9. HERE ONCE AGAIN SHE MIXED UP OUR CALL SIGN, ACR ABXX WITH ACR ABYY. ABOUT 30 SECONDS AFTER OUR CLRNC HER SUPVR CALLED AND ASKED WHEN WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. I ADVISED TWR THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND, HOWEVER, DAKAR TWR CONTINUED TO BELIEVE THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED TO LAND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 635752: SHE QUESTIONED IF WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC. I REPLIED, 'NO, WE'RE TURNING TO INTERCEPT THE LOC.' IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT THE FO AND I THOUGHT SHE CLRED US FOR LNDG. THE MALE CTLR (PERHAPS SUPVR) TOLD US HE WAS FILING AN ACCIDENT RPT, AS WE HAD LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT COM IN AFRICA IS DIFFICULT AT BEST. CTLRS SWITCH BACK AND FORTH BTWN ENGLISH AND FRENCH OFTEN AND THEY SPEAK VERY FAST. 'SAY AGAIN' IS COMMON TERMINOLOGY FOR MOST AMERICAN PLTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 635751: I REMEMBER BEING CLRED FOR LOC AND THEN LNDG CLRNC. A B747 WAS HOLDING SHORT SO WE WERE ALL AWARE OF A POSSIBLE CONFLICT AND COLLECTIVELY ASSURED OURSELVES OF THE LNDG CLRNC.

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.