Narrative:

Approaching dfw after a long trip from paris, france, an 'early get up' on our body clock. Dfw reporting 400' and 2 mi. Copilot's leg. On approach control the WX improved to 2200' and 7 mi. Cleared for the approach, on the localizer and G/south, a few mi outside the OM. We were cleared to maintain airspeed of 160 KTS to OM, cleared to tower at OM and frequency. I (captain) set the tower frequency in the other control head but did not change, waiting for OM. Subsequently we broke out and the visibility was 10+ mi. Copilot finished the last items on the mechanical checklist (mounted on his instrument panel) and finished by calling out 'cleared to land' (which is not on the checklist but should be). We continued to a normal landing, turned off behind a company widebody transport waiting to cross runway 35L. When he started across I said I had not heard them clear him across. A few seconds later approach control told us to contact tower. In discussing this incident the international officer and I both had thought we had been cleared to land, which could not have been. We had probably heard the first officer's erroneous callout and 'bought' it. Contributing factors. Fatigue, a relatively new and nervous copilot, mechanical checklist mounted where the captain and international officer are 'out of the loop' somewhat, and complacency; on seeing the excellent WX, we no doubt relaxed too much.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB FLT CREW AT TERMITNATION OF INTERNATIONAL FLT FAILS TO CONTACT TWR FOR LNDG.

Narrative: APCHING DFW AFTER A LONG TRIP FROM PARIS, FRANCE, AN 'EARLY GET UP' ON OUR BODY CLOCK. DFW RPTING 400' AND 2 MI. COPLT'S LEG. ON APCH CTL THE WX IMPROVED TO 2200' AND 7 MI. CLRED FOR THE APCH, ON THE LOC AND G/S, A FEW MI OUTSIDE THE OM. WE WERE CLRED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPD OF 160 KTS TO OM, CLRED TO TWR AT OM AND FREQ. I (CAPT) SET THE TWR FREQ IN THE OTHER CONTROL HEAD BUT DID NOT CHANGE, WAITING FOR OM. SUBSEQUENTLY WE BROKE OUT AND THE VISIBILITY WAS 10+ MI. COPLT FINISHED THE LAST ITEMS ON THE MECHANICAL CHKLIST (MOUNTED ON HIS INSTRUMENT PANEL) AND FINISHED BY CALLING OUT 'CLRED TO LAND' (WHICH IS NOT ON THE CHKLIST BUT SHOULD BE). WE CONTINUED TO A NORMAL LNDG, TURNED OFF BEHIND A COMPANY WDB WAITING TO CROSS RWY 35L. WHEN HE STARTED ACROSS I SAID I HAD NOT HEARD THEM CLR HIM ACROSS. A FEW SECS LATER APCH CTL TOLD US TO CONTACT TWR. IN DISCUSSING THIS INCIDENT THE INTL OFFICER AND I BOTH HAD THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND, WHICH COULD NOT HAVE BEEN. WE HAD PROBABLY HEARD THE F/O'S ERRONEOUS CALLOUT AND 'BOUGHT' IT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. FATIGUE, A RELATIVELY NEW AND NERVOUS COPLT, MECHANICAL CHKLIST MOUNTED WHERE THE CAPT AND INTL OFFICER ARE 'OUT OF THE LOOP' SOMEWHAT, AND COMPLACENCY; ON SEEING THE EXCELLENT WX, WE NO DOUBT RELAXED TOO MUCH.

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