Narrative:

I was flying for airlines on a scheduled commuter flight from hyannis, ma to bos and landed on runway 33R in bos, still on approach frequency (120.6), never contacting tower. After I departed hyannis, I picked up the ATIS which said bos was landing runway 33L and departing runway 27. I contacted approach on 124.1. He gave me a squawk and told me I was cleared into the TCA via the TCA 3 to minots light. I read the clearance back and told him I would be unable to land 33R & wanted me to verify it. I said negative, but would like to put in a request for runway 33L if it would be available. (I only have 70 hours in the aircraft, have landed on runway 33R once before -2550', so would have preferred longer runway.) at about 20 mi out of bos, approach turned me over to bos approach on 120.6. I reported in at 1500 with the ATIS. Approach acknowledged me and asked me if I had the airport in sight. I stated I didn't because I was still pretty far out. He then instructed me to fly a heading of 330 degrees. At this point I believed I was being sequenced to land on runway 33L even though he didn't state so. I continued on the heading until I was about 10 mi out and approach called and said they understood I would like runway 33L if it would be available. He then told me that there was a lifeguard flight coming in the that needed runway 33L and again asked if I could accept runway 33R. I told him I could. At this point I found out I would be landing runway 33R and was busy trying to slow the aircraft down from the speed I was using for the sequence to runway 33L. I believe approach then cleared me to land. I do not believe he ever told me to contact the tower. I was still busy slowing the aircraft, and the last I heard approach, they were telling the lifeguard flight that I was landing on runway 33R and would be no factor. I landed on runway 33R. When I touched down I noticed I was still on approach frequency. After I cleared runway 33R I contacted tower and told them I was with them clearing the right side. They said, 'roger, taxi via november and hold short of runway 33L, acknowledge the hold.' I did so. As I approached runway 33L they told me to keep the speed up, cross runway 33L, contact ground on the other side, traffic about a mile out for runway 33L. I acknowledged the cross and after I cleared contacted ground. Ground told me I was cleared to the ramp via the inner, give way to the lifeguard off my left. I acknowledged and taxied to the gate. One of our other pilots for whom I was discussing the incident said that earlier that day he did hear approach clear a jet to land and to monitor tower. This is the first time he or I had ever heard of an approach facility clearing an aircraft to land, and if he did so with me (I don't ever remember being told to monitor or contact tower, however), I am not sure. This is a very unusual practice however in bos, (I've flown into bos an average of 10 times/week for the past yr) and after someone is cleared to land it is not common practice to have to change frequencys in the landing phase. I am not sure if I was cleared to land or not, nor informed by tower or ground that I made an unauthorized landing. If it is to be a practice for approach to clear aircraft to land, I believe it should be a NOTAM, especially for those who fly in there regularly not expecting it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SMT LANDED WITHOUT CONTACTING TWR FOR CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FOR AIRLINES ON A SCHEDULED COMMUTER FLT FROM HYANNIS, MA TO BOS AND LANDED ON RWY 33R IN BOS, STILL ON APCH FREQ (120.6), NEVER CONTACTING TWR. AFTER I DEPARTED HYANNIS, I PICKED UP THE ATIS WHICH SAID BOS WAS LNDG RWY 33L AND DEPARTING RWY 27. I CONTACTED APCH ON 124.1. HE GAVE ME A SQUAWK AND TOLD ME I WAS CLRED INTO THE TCA VIA THE TCA 3 TO MINOTS LIGHT. I READ THE CLRNC BACK AND TOLD HIM I WOULD BE UNABLE TO LAND 33R & WANTED ME TO VERIFY IT. I SAID NEGATIVE, BUT WOULD LIKE TO PUT IN A REQUEST FOR RWY 33L IF IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE. (I ONLY HAVE 70 HRS IN THE ACFT, HAVE LANDED ON RWY 33R ONCE BEFORE -2550', SO WOULD HAVE PREFERRED LONGER RWY.) AT ABOUT 20 MI OUT OF BOS, APCH TURNED ME OVER TO BOS APCH ON 120.6. I RPTED IN AT 1500 WITH THE ATIS. APCH ACKNOWLEDGED ME AND ASKED ME IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I STATED I DIDN'T BECAUSE I WAS STILL PRETTY FAR OUT. HE THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO FLY A HDG OF 330 DEGS. AT THIS POINT I BELIEVED I WAS BEING SEQUENCED TO LAND ON RWY 33L EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T STATE SO. I CONTINUED ON THE HDG UNTIL I WAS ABOUT 10 MI OUT AND APCH CALLED AND SAID THEY UNDERSTOOD I WOULD LIKE RWY 33L IF IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE. HE THEN TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A LIFEGUARD FLT COMING IN THE THAT NEEDED RWY 33L AND AGAIN ASKED IF I COULD ACCEPT RWY 33R. I TOLD HIM I COULD. AT THIS POINT I FOUND OUT I WOULD BE LNDG RWY 33R AND WAS BUSY TRYING TO SLOW THE ACFT DOWN FROM THE SPD I WAS USING FOR THE SEQUENCE TO RWY 33L. I BELIEVE APCH THEN CLRED ME TO LAND. I DO NOT BELIEVE HE EVER TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE TWR. I WAS STILL BUSY SLOWING THE ACFT, AND THE LAST I HEARD APCH, THEY WERE TELLING THE LIFEGUARD FLT THAT I WAS LNDG ON RWY 33R AND WOULD BE NO FACTOR. I LANDED ON RWY 33R. WHEN I TOUCHED DOWN I NOTICED I WAS STILL ON APCH FREQ. AFTER I CLRED RWY 33R I CONTACTED TWR AND TOLD THEM I WAS WITH THEM CLRING THE RIGHT SIDE. THEY SAID, 'ROGER, TAXI VIA NOVEMBER AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 33L, ACKNOWLEDGE THE HOLD.' I DID SO. AS I APCHED RWY 33L THEY TOLD ME TO KEEP THE SPD UP, CROSS RWY 33L, CONTACT GND ON THE OTHER SIDE, TFC ABOUT A MILE OUT FOR RWY 33L. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CROSS AND AFTER I CLRED CONTACTED GND. GND TOLD ME I WAS CLRED TO THE RAMP VIA THE INNER, GIVE WAY TO THE LIFEGUARD OFF MY LEFT. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND TAXIED TO THE GATE. ONE OF OUR OTHER PLTS FOR WHOM I WAS DISCUSSING THE INCIDENT SAID THAT EARLIER THAT DAY HE DID HEAR APCH CLR A JET TO LAND AND TO MONITOR TWR. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE OR I HAD EVER HEARD OF AN APCH FAC CLRING AN ACFT TO LAND, AND IF HE DID SO WITH ME (I DON'T EVER REMEMBER BEING TOLD TO MONITOR OR CONTACT TWR, HOWEVER), I AM NOT SURE. THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL PRACTICE HOWEVER IN BOS, (I'VE FLOWN INTO BOS AN AVERAGE OF 10 TIMES/WK FOR THE PAST YR) AND AFTER SOMEONE IS CLRED TO LAND IT IS NOT COMMON PRACTICE TO HAVE TO CHANGE FREQS IN THE LNDG PHASE. I AM NOT SURE IF I WAS CLRED TO LAND OR NOT, NOR INFORMED BY TWR OR GND THAT I MADE AN UNAUTH LNDG. IF IT IS TO BE A PRACTICE FOR APCH TO CLR ACFT TO LAND, I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE A NOTAM, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO FLY IN THERE REGULARLY NOT EXPECTING IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.