Aircraft landed without tower clearance.

Attributes
ACN	303009
Time
Date	199503
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ind
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	303889
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
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:

Ind approach control had me on a right downwind for runway 23R descending to 4000 ft. I reported I still had the airport in sight and he told me to descend to 3500 ft and would have the visual approach shortly. At this point I was descending and was down to about 5000 ft. He did very shortly give me a right turn to 140 degrees and cleared me for the visual. I was on a base leg about 4 - 4 1/2 mi out at 3500 ft in moderate turbulence, trying to keep the plane at va and get the gear and flaps down. To make matters worse when I turned final, I turned into the sun and the haze made visibility a little worse. I had an extremely steep descent all the way to the runway. It wasn't until I was turning off the runway that I realized I was still on approach control. Looking back, I cannot remember approach telling me to go to tower -- no excuse -- but it probably would have reminded me. I learned how to fly out of this airport 5 yrs ago and have never had any problem communicating with ATC -- I always remembered -- I was taught that way. I guess I became complacent and with the high work load I was under (I've been in worse sits by far) I simply forgot to switch to tower. It was stupid and there is no excuse!! I am sure this has scared me enough to knock any complacency right out of me!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT LANDED WITHOUT TWR CLRNC.

Narrative: IND APCH CTL HAD ME ON A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 23R DSNDING TO 4000 FT. I RPTED I STILL HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND HE TOLD ME TO DSND TO 3500 FT AND WOULD HAVE THE VISUAL APCH SHORTLY. AT THIS POINT I WAS DSNDING AND WAS DOWN TO ABOUT 5000 FT. HE DID VERY SHORTLY GIVE ME A R TURN TO 140 DEGS AND CLRED ME FOR THE VISUAL. I WAS ON A BASE LEG ABOUT 4 - 4 1/2 MI OUT AT 3500 FT IN MODERATE TURB, TRYING TO KEEP THE PLANE AT VA AND GET THE GEAR AND FLAPS DOWN. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE WHEN I TURNED FINAL, I TURNED INTO THE SUN AND THE HAZE MADE VISIBILITY A LITTLE WORSE. I HAD AN EXTREMELY STEEP DSCNT ALL THE WAY TO THE RWY. IT WASN'T UNTIL I WAS TURNING OFF THE RWY THAT I REALIZED I WAS STILL ON APCH CTL. LOOKING BACK, I CANNOT REMEMBER APCH TELLING ME TO GO TO TWR -- NO EXCUSE -- BUT IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE REMINDED ME. I LEARNED HOW TO FLY OUT OF THIS ARPT 5 YRS AGO AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROB COMMUNICATING WITH ATC -- I ALWAYS REMEMBERED -- I WAS TAUGHT THAT WAY. I GUESS I BECAME COMPLACENT AND WITH THE HIGH WORK LOAD I WAS UNDER (I'VE BEEN IN WORSE SITS BY FAR) I SIMPLY FORGOT TO SWITCH TO TWR. IT WAS STUPID AND THERE IS NO EXCUSE!! I AM SURE THIS HAS SCARED ME ENOUGH TO KNOCK ANY COMPLACENCY RIGHT OUT OF ME!

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.