Air carrier landed with aircraft still on runway.

Attributes
ACN	108455
Time
Date	198904
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	108455
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

Visibility approachs in use with 2 local controls. I was not controling inbound traffic. Air carrier X was cleared for visibility approach to follow air carrier Y (both lgts). Apparently, there was at most 1 mi longitudinal sep. Air carrier X was not on local control west's frequency at less than 1 mi final. Local west asked me, at local east, if air carrier X could land runway 21C. I approved it when I found out that no one was talking to the aircraft. I told the other local to not put air carrier on the center runway, and then put traffic into position and crossed other traffic downfield (confused yet?). After I did that, contact was made with the aircraft inside 1/2 mi final. Local west changed air carrier X to runway 21C and cleared him to land. I had to get traffic off the runway and expedite the crossing. The aircraft landed safely, and as far as I know, captain made no phone calls. I can only comment on the tower situation, which was, at best, chaotic. Apparently the other local controller didn't hear me say not to put air carrier X on runway 21C. I thought it would be an unsafe situation to circle to close to runway end because of air carrier Y. The safest operation would be a go around instead. The pilot can, and probably should have made that call, but controller should not have circled the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LANDED WITH ACFT STILL ON RWY.

Narrative: VIS APCHS IN USE WITH 2 LCL CTLS. I WAS NOT CTLING INBND TFC. ACR X WAS CLRED FOR VIS APCH TO FOLLOW ACR Y (BOTH LGTS). APPARENTLY, THERE WAS AT MOST 1 MI LONGITUDINAL SEP. ACR X WAS NOT ON LCL CTL W'S FREQ AT LESS THAN 1 MI FINAL. LCL W ASKED ME, AT LCL E, IF ACR X COULD LAND RWY 21C. I APPROVED IT WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT NO ONE WAS TALKING TO THE ACFT. I TOLD THE OTHER LCL TO NOT PUT ACR ON THE CENTER RWY, AND THEN PUT TFC INTO POS AND CROSSED OTHER TFC DOWNFIELD (CONFUSED YET?). AFTER I DID THAT, CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE ACFT INSIDE 1/2 MI FINAL. LCL W CHANGED ACR X TO RWY 21C AND CLRED HIM TO LAND. I HAD TO GET TFC OFF THE RWY AND EXPEDITE THE XING. THE ACFT LANDED SAFELY, AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, CAPT MADE NO PHONE CALLS. I CAN ONLY COMMENT ON THE TWR SITUATION, WHICH WAS, AT BEST, CHAOTIC. APPARENTLY THE OTHER LCL CTLR DIDN'T HEAR ME SAY NOT TO PUT ACR X ON RWY 21C. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AN UNSAFE SITUATION TO CIRCLE TO CLOSE TO RWY END BECAUSE OF ACR Y. THE SAFEST OPERATION WOULD BE A GAR INSTEAD. THE PLT CAN, AND PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE MADE THAT CALL, BUT CTLR SHOULD NOT HAVE CIRCLED THE ACFT.

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.