A commuter flight crew failed to contact the tower at the FAF, as instructed by the approach control...

Attributes
ACN	336090
Time
Date	199605
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mdw tower : mdw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	336090
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This event occurred when approach control instructed us to contact the tower at ermin, the locator OM, on ILS runway 4R approach. Due to heavy pilot workload, I failed to contact the tower at the specified point. We continued the approach and were reminded to go to tower at approximately 800 ft AGL. We then were cleared to land by tower at approximately 500 ft AGL. Runway contact was established at minimums and we landed uneventfully. The tower made a comment saying 'I want some answers, contact ground.' we contacted ground and taxied to the gate with no further action. The chain of events leading up to the error were a factor. First, chicago approach issued a holding clearance. While preparing for the hold we were then given vectors through the localizer and then back the other direction to intercept the localizer. This is the point in which we were cleared for the approach, given a speed restr, given an altitude, and the instruction to contact the tower at the LOM. This is a particularly busy time in the cockpit for the PNF due to my duty of running checklists, configuring the aircraft, making callouts, and running the radios. I simply forgot to contact the tower. This could have easily been avoided had the approach controller instructed us to contact the tower when he actually wanted us to, rather than trying to fit a lengthy clearance all in one breath.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMUTER FLC FAILED TO CONTACT THE TWR AT THE FAF, AS INSTRUCTED BY THE APCH CTLR. THE APCH CTLR INTERVENED AND THE FLC CONTACTED THE ATCT LCL CTLR BEFORE REACHING LNDG MINIMUMS.

Narrative: THIS EVENT OCCURRED WHEN APCH CTL INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT THE TWR AT ERMIN, THE LOCATOR OM, ON ILS RWY 4R APCH. DUE TO HVY PLT WORKLOAD, I FAILED TO CONTACT THE TWR AT THE SPECIFIED POINT. WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND WERE REMINDED TO GO TO TWR AT APPROX 800 FT AGL. WE THEN WERE CLRED TO LAND BY TWR AT APPROX 500 FT AGL. RWY CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED AT MINIMUMS AND WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE TWR MADE A COMMENT SAYING 'I WANT SOME ANSWERS, CONTACT GND.' WE CONTACTED GND AND TAXIED TO THE GATE WITH NO FURTHER ACTION. THE CHAIN OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE ERROR WERE A FACTOR. FIRST, CHICAGO APCH ISSUED A HOLDING CLRNC. WHILE PREPARING FOR THE HOLD WE WERE THEN GIVEN VECTORS THROUGH THE LOC AND THEN BACK THE OTHER DIRECTION TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. THIS IS THE POINT IN WHICH WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH, GIVEN A SPD RESTR, GIVEN AN ALT, AND THE INSTRUCTION TO CONTACT THE TWR AT THE LOM. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY BUSY TIME IN THE COCKPIT FOR THE PNF DUE TO MY DUTY OF RUNNING CHKLISTS, CONFIGURING THE ACFT, MAKING CALLOUTS, AND RUNNING THE RADIOS. I SIMPLY FORGOT TO CONTACT THE TWR. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE APCH CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT THE TWR WHEN HE ACTUALLY WANTED US TO, RATHER THAN TRYING TO FIT A LENGTHY CLRNC ALL IN ONE BREATH.

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.

A commuter flight crew failed to contact the tower at the FAF, as instructed by the approach controller. The approach controller intervened and the flight crew contacted the ATCT local controller before reaching landing minimums.