Narrative:

Approach control instructed us to 'turn left to XXX heading, maintain xx altitude until intercepting the localizer, cleared for ILS runway 05R, contact tower at the OM on 120.9.' I acknowledged, then discovered on the ground that we had not changed to tower frequency. Even worse, captain had asked if we had landing clearance and I said 'yes,' somehow thinking we had already talked to the tower and that we were cleared to land. I called the tower by phone on the ground to apologize and was assured there was no problem, 'it happens all the time,' but that they certainly appreciated the call. Unless landing clrncs aren't that important (I thought they were), that 'it happens all the time' indicates an ongoing problem. I would suggest ATC not issue so many tasks in one transmission or, alternatively, not to say to contact the tower at some point several mins ahead, rather, contact tower now on XXX.X. I'd appreciate suggestions for memory jogging things others use so that this won't happen to me again. Perhaps this should be a checklist item.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC LANDS WITHOUT SWITCHING TO TWR OVER THE OM AND GAINING LNDG CLRNC AS PER APCH CTL INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: APCH CTL INSTRUCTED US TO 'TURN L TO XXX HDG, MAINTAIN XX ALT UNTIL INTERCEPTING THE LOC, CLRED FOR ILS RWY 05R, CONTACT TWR AT THE OM ON 120.9.' I ACKNOWLEDGED, THEN DISCOVERED ON THE GND THAT WE HAD NOT CHANGED TO TWR FREQ. EVEN WORSE, CAPT HAD ASKED IF WE HAD LNDG CLRNC AND I SAID 'YES,' SOMEHOW THINKING WE HAD ALREADY TALKED TO THE TWR AND THAT WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. I CALLED THE TWR BY PHONE ON THE GND TO APOLOGIZE AND WAS ASSURED THERE WAS NO PROB, 'IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME,' BUT THAT THEY CERTAINLY APPRECIATED THE CALL. UNLESS LNDG CLRNCS AREN'T THAT IMPORTANT (I THOUGHT THEY WERE), THAT 'IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME' INDICATES AN ONGOING PROB. I WOULD SUGGEST ATC NOT ISSUE SO MANY TASKS IN ONE XMISSION OR, ALTERNATIVELY, NOT TO SAY TO CONTACT THE TWR AT SOME POINT SEVERAL MINS AHEAD, RATHER, CONTACT TWR NOW ON XXX.X. I'D APPRECIATE SUGGESTIONS FOR MEMORY JOGGING THINGS OTHERS USE SO THAT THIS WON'T HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN. PERHAPS THIS SHOULD BE A CHKLIST ITEM.

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.