Narrative:

Approaching pbi radar showed thunderstorms on approach to runway 9L and on airport. We were vectored to ILS to intercept localizer when aircraft on approach went around for windshear and heavy rain. We asked for a holding pattern and were given radar vectors for 2 box patterns. On the third pattern we were instructed to hold at the OM, left turns, 20 mi legs. During this time, WX went to 1/4 mi, heavy rain and thunderstorms. Fuel was becoming a consideration and fll was the alternate. The aircraft in front of us reported a 10 KT loss of airspeed on final approach and no rain. We were then cleared for the approach but were 1000 ft too high and we requested a short box pattern to descend to OM GS altitude. We were then cleared for the approach. I thought we had checked in and were cleared to land. We had no loss of airspeed on final but 2/3 way down runway encountered rain and fair to poor braking action. After slowing the aircraft we called tower to advise we were clearing the runway and approach control said, 'yeah, tower is looking for you guys.' I don't believe we were told by approach control to contact tower. I believe with the WX, fuel, alternate considerations, and being too high to accept the first approach clearance, I was distracted enough to think I had been given landing clearance. Pbi tower's only comment after we called them was to contact ground control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH LNDG. LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC. CLRNC LNDG NOT RECEIVED.

Narrative: APCHING PBI RADAR SHOWED TSTMS ON APCH TO RWY 9L AND ON ARPT. WE WERE VECTORED TO ILS TO INTERCEPT LOC WHEN ACFT ON APCH WENT AROUND FOR WINDSHEAR AND HVY RAIN. WE ASKED FOR A HOLDING PATTERN AND WERE GIVEN RADAR VECTORS FOR 2 BOX PATTERNS. ON THE THIRD PATTERN WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD AT THE OM, L TURNS, 20 MI LEGS. DURING THIS TIME, WX WENT TO 1/4 MI, HVY RAIN AND TSTMS. FUEL WAS BECOMING A CONSIDERATION AND FLL WAS THE ALTERNATE. THE ACFT IN FRONT OF US RPTED A 10 KT LOSS OF AIRSPD ON FINAL APCH AND NO RAIN. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR THE APCH BUT WERE 1000 FT TOO HIGH AND WE REQUESTED A SHORT BOX PATTERN TO DSND TO OM GS ALT. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR THE APCH. I THOUGHT WE HAD CHKED IN AND WERE CLRED TO LAND. WE HAD NO LOSS OF AIRSPD ON FINAL BUT 2/3 WAY DOWN RWY ENCOUNTERED RAIN AND FAIR TO POOR BRAKING ACTION. AFTER SLOWING THE ACFT WE CALLED TWR TO ADVISE WE WERE CLRING THE RWY AND APCH CTL SAID, 'YEAH, TWR IS LOOKING FOR YOU GUYS.' I DON'T BELIEVE WE WERE TOLD BY APCH CTL TO CONTACT TWR. I BELIEVE WITH THE WX, FUEL, ALTERNATE CONSIDERATIONS, AND BEING TOO HIGH TO ACCEPT THE FIRST APCH CLRNC, I WAS DISTRACTED ENOUGH TO THINK I HAD BEEN GIVEN LNDG CLRNC. PBI TWR'S ONLY COMMENT AFTER WE CALLED THEM WAS TO CONTACT GND CTL.

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.