Unauthorized landing by air carrier. Landing without ATC clearance.

Attributes
ACN	199191
Time
Date	199201
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den tower : den tower : oma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	199191
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was PF (first officer), captain was operating radio. We were cleared for visual approach to the VFR runway (parallel) 18, to call tower on final. No other traffic for that runway, but traffic landing on 17R and left. After landing, I noticed we had not switched to local control. Contributing factors: reduced rest the night before, (less than 9 hours) after a long duty day, VFR WX which contributed to a relaxed -- too relaxed -- state of mind. My own mental state that wrongly assumed that since we were hearing radio chatter (approach control) and our flight number wasn't being called, we were ok. The captain and I are both highly experienced, although not at this airport. Neither of us had ever landed without a clearance before. The simple things do count! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter gave information on his aircraft. Gave rundown on work schedule. Described work/rest cycle on 4 day sequence. Checklist procedure requires PNF to perform most of checklist while also communicating with ATC during landing phase. Was first approach and landing on runway 18 for both PIC and first officer. PIC had had very long day on previous day. Thinks fatigue was primary factor in incident. 2 radios were set on center frequency and approach control frequency during landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED LNDG BY ACR. LNDG WITHOUT ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS PF (FO), CAPT WAS OPERATING RADIO. WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH TO THE VFR RWY (PARALLEL) 18, TO CALL TWR ON FINAL. NO OTHER TFC FOR THAT RWY, BUT TFC LNDG ON 17R AND L. AFTER LNDG, I NOTICED WE HAD NOT SWITCHED TO LCL CTL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: REDUCED REST THE NIGHT BEFORE, (LESS THAN 9 HRS) AFTER A LONG DUTY DAY, VFR WX WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO A RELAXED -- TOO RELAXED -- STATE OF MIND. MY OWN MENTAL STATE THAT WRONGLY ASSUMED THAT SINCE WE WERE HEARING RADIO CHATTER (APCH CTL) AND OUR FLT NUMBER WASN'T BEING CALLED, WE WERE OK. THE CAPTAIN AND I ARE BOTH HIGHLY EXPERIENCED, ALTHOUGH NOT AT THIS ARPT. NEITHER OF US HAD EVER LANDED WITHOUT A CLRNC BEFORE. THE SIMPLE THINGS DO COUNT! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR GAVE INFO ON HIS ACFT. GAVE RUNDOWN ON WORK SCHEDULE. DESCRIBED WORK/REST CYCLE ON 4 DAY SEQUENCE. CHKLIST PROC REQUIRES PNF TO PERFORM MOST OF CHKLIST WHILE ALSO COMMUNICATING WITH ATC DURING LNDG PHASE. WAS FIRST APCH AND LNDG ON RWY 18 FOR BOTH PIC AND FO. PIC HAD HAD VERY LONG DAY ON PREVIOUS DAY. THINKS FATIGUE WAS PRIMARY FACTOR IN INCIDENT. 2 RADIOS WERE SET ON CENTER FREQ AND APCH CTL FREQ DURING LNDG.

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.