Narrative:

I was returning to land at the conclusion of a chkout flight with an instructor on board. Upon contact with the tower; we were instructed to enter a midfield; left downwind. After landing and clearing the runway; the tower controller asked us why we did not report downwind. We responded that we must have missed that call; although neither myself nor my instructor remembered ever being asked to make that call. So evidently we had landed without a clearance. And to compound the error; due to being distraction by the exchange with the controller; we also taxied to the ramp without a specific clearance. Evidently no conflict resulted from these errors; but the controller was obviously displeased with us. I think the basic cause of our problem was that we were so caught up in the instructional aspect of the flight; that we may have missed the request to report downwind. The plane we were flying has a glass cockpit; and I felt unduly distraction by that equipment during the entire flight. The technically advanced cockpit has many valuable features; but can really cut into a pilot's ability to cope with the demands of a normal VFR flight. Also; not trying to shift blame; but I honestly think the controller forgot about us and only noticed us as we were clearing the runway. In the future I will endeavor to stay focused on the task at hand and not allow myself to be distraction by fancy avionics and a very zealous instructor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE RIGORS OF TRAINING AND THE DISTRACTIONS OF A GLASS COCKPIT RESULT IN LANDING WITHOUT CLEARANCE FOR THIS C182 PILOT.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING TO LAND AT THE CONCLUSION OF A CHKOUT FLT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR ON BOARD. UPON CONTACT WITH THE TWR; WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO ENTER A MIDFIELD; L DOWNWIND. AFTER LNDG AND CLRING THE RWY; THE TWR CTLR ASKED US WHY WE DID NOT RPT DOWNWIND. WE RESPONDED THAT WE MUST HAVE MISSED THAT CALL; ALTHOUGH NEITHER MYSELF NOR MY INSTRUCTOR REMEMBERED EVER BEING ASKED TO MAKE THAT CALL. SO EVIDENTLY WE HAD LANDED WITHOUT A CLRNC. AND TO COMPOUND THE ERROR; DUE TO BEING DISTR BY THE EXCHANGE WITH THE CTLR; WE ALSO TAXIED TO THE RAMP WITHOUT A SPECIFIC CLRNC. EVIDENTLY NO CONFLICT RESULTED FROM THESE ERRORS; BUT THE CTLR WAS OBVIOUSLY DISPLEASED WITH US. I THINK THE BASIC CAUSE OF OUR PROB WAS THAT WE WERE SO CAUGHT UP IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASPECT OF THE FLT; THAT WE MAY HAVE MISSED THE REQUEST TO RPT DOWNWIND. THE PLANE WE WERE FLYING HAS A GLASS COCKPIT; AND I FELT UNDULY DISTR BY THAT EQUIP DURING THE ENTIRE FLT. THE TECHNICALLY ADVANCED COCKPIT HAS MANY VALUABLE FEATURES; BUT CAN REALLY CUT INTO A PLT'S ABILITY TO COPE WITH THE DEMANDS OF A NORMAL VFR FLT. ALSO; NOT TRYING TO SHIFT BLAME; BUT I HONESTLY THINK THE CTLR FORGOT ABOUT US AND ONLY NOTICED US AS WE WERE CLRING THE RWY. IN THE FUTURE I WILL ENDEAVOR TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE TASK AT HAND AND NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO BE DISTR BY FANCY AVIONICS AND A VERY ZEALOUS INSTRUCTOR.

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.