737 fails to contact tower on approach. Land without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	309740
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 8900 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	309740
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
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	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our flight, a 737-200 from msp to ord, was on a right downwind to runway 22R at O'hare. Approach control asked if we had the airport in sight where we replied in the affirmative. Approach cleared us for the visual on runway 22R and to contact tower abeam ridge LOM. In the process of confign, running checklists and trying to keep the pattern fairly close and watching for traffic, the call to tower wasn't initiated. Upon turnoff I looked down at the radio panel because no handoff to ground was given. It was at this time I realized we were still on approach control. We called tower where they handed us over to ground. Once we blocked in, I called tower by telephone to explain what happened. Upon reflection of this incident, I realized the normal cues (OM passage, straight-in) were not provided. I now have an even greater vigilance to items like these under basic VFR approachs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 737 FAILS TO CONTACT TWR ON APCH. LAND WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: OUR FLT, A 737-200 FROM MSP TO ORD, WAS ON A R DOWNWIND TO RWY 22R AT O'HARE. APCH CTL ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT WHERE WE REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. APCH CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL ON RWY 22R AND TO CONTACT TWR ABEAM RIDGE LOM. IN THE PROCESS OF CONFIGN, RUNNING CHKLISTS AND TRYING TO KEEP THE PATTERN FAIRLY CLOSE AND WATCHING FOR TFC, THE CALL TO TWR WASN'T INITIATED. UPON TURNOFF I LOOKED DOWN AT THE RADIO PANEL BECAUSE NO HDOF TO GND WAS GIVEN. IT WAS AT THIS TIME I REALIZED WE WERE STILL ON APCH CTL. WE CALLED TWR WHERE THEY HANDED US OVER TO GND. ONCE WE BLOCKED IN, I CALLED TWR BY TELEPHONE TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED. UPON REFLECTION OF THIS INCIDENT, I REALIZED THE NORMAL CUES (OM PASSAGE, STRAIGHT-IN) WERE NOT PROVIDED. I NOW HAVE AN EVEN GREATER VIGILANCE TO ITEMS LIKE THESE UNDER BASIC VFR APCHS.

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.