Narrative:

After a long flight around thunderstorms we were cleared for a visual approach to runway 3 in atw. I was the pilot flying (hand flying raw data). The captain checked in with tower and he instructed us to report a 4 mile final runway 3. At about 4 miles I turned on to the localizer and continued our descent on the glide slope. At the same time I called 'gear down flaps thirty landing check to the line. Tower's radio traffic was not very busy. I thought we had our landing clearance but I was focused on flying the plane. My focus may have been narrowed because I have been working so much. The incident happened on day two of a four day trip. My day off was preceded by a long four day trip. After landing the tower guy said something to the effect of 'I guess you never reported that four mile final' then he said 'I had you insight the whole way'; which makes me wonder why he didn't say anything until after landing. The event occurred because neither of us contacted tower on a four mile final; which is an unusual instruction. Furthermore at five hundred feet I didn't question us not having a landing clearance. We apologized to the tower controller; and he cleared us to taxi to the gate; after explaining that his spacing was based off our position report. I thought I'd never land with out a clearance but I did. It would be helpful to have a better understanding of why ATC does certain things like request a four mile final report; or saying continue instead of issuing a landing clearance. Actually the phrase 'continue' has caused confusion more than once.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air carrier on final for Runway 3 at ATW landed without clearance; listing the unusal ATC requested for a four mile final report as a causal factor.

Narrative: After a long flight around thunderstorms we were cleared for a visual approach to Runway 3 in ATW. I was the Pilot Flying (hand flying raw data). The Captain checked in with Tower and he instructed us to report a 4 mile final Runway 3. At about 4 miles I turned on to the localizer and continued our descent on the glide slope. At the same time I called 'gear down flaps thirty landing check to the line. Tower's radio traffic was not very busy. I thought we had our landing clearance but I was focused on flying the plane. My focus may have been narrowed because I have been working so much. The incident happened on day two of a four day trip. My day off was preceded by a long four day trip. After landing the Tower guy said something to the effect of 'I guess you never reported that four mile final' Then he said 'I had you insight the whole way'; which makes me wonder why he didn't say anything until after landing. The event occurred because neither of us contacted Tower on a four mile final; which is an unusual instruction. Furthermore at five hundred feet I didn't question us not having a landing clearance. We apologized to the Tower Controller; and he cleared us to taxi to the gate; after explaining that his spacing was based off our position report. I thought I'd never land with out a clearance but I did. It would be helpful to have a better understanding of why ATC does certain things like request a four mile final report; or saying continue instead of issuing a landing clearance. Actually the phrase 'continue' has caused confusion more than once.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.