Narrative:

Approach control was contacted approximately 30 NM from the airport. At that time, I was told to expect runway 22 for landing. At approximately 15 NM approach clearance was changed to runway 8R and a vector away from the airport was given and complied with. At approximately 7 NM I was told to enter a left base to runway 8R and was #2 for the runway. After acknowledgement I was told to contact the tower. The tower acknowledged my call and told me to 'continue for 8R.' at approximately 1MI final, the traffic ahead cleared the runway and I expected landing clearance at that time. However, the controller cleared an medium large transport into position on 8R, and almost immediately afterward instructed me to go around. At that point, I had already initiated a go around and was instructed to 'do a 360 to the right; caution, wake turbulence, departing medium large transport.' after completing the 360 degree turn, the landing was continued west/O incidence. The occurrence was not discovered until I contacted the tower to discuss the incident. When the tapes were reviewed, it was discovered that landing clearance had not been issued, and neither the controller nor I noticed the omission. The confusion following the imminent conflict, the rapid instructions by the controller and the statement, 'caution, wake turbulence' (which would normally be given to a landing aircraft), all contributed to the occurrence. In the future, my usual before landing checklist will be supplemented by as many 'confirm cleared to land' calls as I deem necessary, regardless of how redundant it may sound.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON 1 MILE FINAL TOLD GO AROUND AS TWR CLEARS MLG FOR TKOF, THEN LANDS WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: APCH CTL WAS CONTACTED APPROX 30 NM FROM THE ARPT. AT THAT TIME, I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 22 FOR LNDG. AT APPROX 15 NM APCH CLRNC WAS CHANGED TO RWY 8R AND A VECTOR AWAY FROM THE ARPT WAS GIVEN AND COMPLIED WITH. AT APPROX 7 NM I WAS TOLD TO ENTER A LEFT BASE TO RWY 8R AND WAS #2 FOR THE RWY. AFTER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR. THE TWR ACKNOWLEDGED MY CALL AND TOLD ME TO 'CONTINUE FOR 8R.' AT APPROX 1MI FINAL, THE TFC AHEAD CLRED THE RWY AND I EXPECTED LNDG CLRNC AT THAT TIME. HOWEVER, THE CTLR CLRED AN MLG INTO POS ON 8R, AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD INSTRUCTED ME TO GO AROUND. AT THAT POINT, I HAD ALREADY INITIATED A GAR AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO 'DO A 360 TO THE RIGHT; CAUTION, WAKE TURB, DEPARTING MLG.' AFTER COMPLETING THE 360 DEG TURN, THE LNDG WAS CONTINUED W/O INCIDENCE. THE OCCURRENCE WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL I CONTACTED THE TWR TO DISCUSS THE INCIDENT. WHEN THE TAPES WERE REVIEWED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT LNDG CLRNC HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED, AND NEITHER THE CTLR NOR I NOTICED THE OMISSION. THE CONFUSION FOLLOWING THE IMMINENT CONFLICT, THE RAPID INSTRUCTIONS BY THE CTLR AND THE STATEMENT, 'CAUTION, WAKE TURB' (WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE GIVEN TO A LNDG ACFT), ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THE OCCURRENCE. IN THE FUTURE, MY USUAL BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY AS MANY 'CONFIRM CLRED TO LAND' CALLS AS I DEEM NECESSARY, REGARDLESS OF HOW REDUNDANT IT MAY SOUND.

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.