Narrative:

While approaching gcn on the ILS to runway 3; I was instructed to contact tower by ZLA. My contact with the tower was acknowledged only. At 3 mi I contacted the tower again reporting our position on the approach. My student noticed at this time that the brakes were quite soft. Tower asked our intentions and; as winds favored runway 21; I requested circling and full stop. Tower instructed that we 'circle west to right base runway 21.' the instruction was read back. While circling; my student and I discussed the safest possible way to land in the event of zero braking effectiveness. Strategies were discussed and a plan was decided upon to land just short of the 'blocks.' a normal final was made; however; my student did indicate that more power was needed than normal. After touchdown; on rollout; the engine quit. Restart was unsuccessful and we required a tow to parking. I was asked to call the tower. While talking to the tower controller; I was informed that we had not received a landing clearance. There was no other traffic in the area when we landed. I believe the tower should issue landing clearance to aircraft on downwind or 2-3 mi final -- not; as the controller told me; on base. With our abnormal situation (brakes); we became too busy in the base and final approach phase and the tower did not know or track our position. Both factors contributed to a landing without clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT LAND WITHOUT CLRNC DUE TO DISTRACTION CAUSED BY SUSPECT BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS AT A HIGH ALT ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE APCHING GCN ON THE ILS TO RWY 3; I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT TWR BY ZLA. MY CONTACT WITH THE TWR WAS ACKNOWLEDGED ONLY. AT 3 MI I CONTACTED THE TWR AGAIN RPTING OUR POS ON THE APCH. MY STUDENT NOTICED AT THIS TIME THAT THE BRAKES WERE QUITE SOFT. TWR ASKED OUR INTENTIONS AND; AS WINDS FAVORED RWY 21; I REQUESTED CIRCLING AND FULL STOP. TWR INSTRUCTED THAT WE 'CIRCLE W TO R BASE RWY 21.' THE INSTRUCTION WAS READ BACK. WHILE CIRCLING; MY STUDENT AND I DISCUSSED THE SAFEST POSSIBLE WAY TO LAND IN THE EVENT OF ZERO BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. STRATEGIES WERE DISCUSSED AND A PLAN WAS DECIDED UPON TO LAND JUST SHORT OF THE 'BLOCKS.' A NORMAL FINAL WAS MADE; HOWEVER; MY STUDENT DID INDICATE THAT MORE PWR WAS NEEDED THAN NORMAL. AFTER TOUCHDOWN; ON ROLLOUT; THE ENG QUIT. RESTART WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND WE REQUIRED A TOW TO PARKING. I WAS ASKED TO CALL THE TWR. WHILE TALKING TO THE TWR CTLR; I WAS INFORMED THAT WE HAD NOT RECEIVED A LNDG CLRNC. THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC IN THE AREA WHEN WE LANDED. I BELIEVE THE TWR SHOULD ISSUE LNDG CLRNC TO ACFT ON DOWNWIND OR 2-3 MI FINAL -- NOT; AS THE CTLR TOLD ME; ON BASE. WITH OUR ABNORMAL SITUATION (BRAKES); WE BECAME TOO BUSY IN THE BASE AND FINAL APCH PHASE AND THE TWR DID NOT KNOW OR TRACK OUR POS. BOTH FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO A LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.