Air carrier lands runway 21 without clearance from tower. First officer, PF, flight crew familiarity...

Attributes
ACN	344710
Time
Date	199608
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sat tower : sat
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	344710
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 155 flight time total : 11530 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	344709
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:

After landing and taxiing clear of runway 21 in sat, I discovered that I was still on approach control frequency. I switched to ground control and was advised to taxi to my gate. On looking back at this landing I do not remember being advised to switch to tower (no excuse). The WX was 1500 ft broken and I was vectored to a visual approach. Approximately 8 mi from the airport, I was able to clearly see runway 21 and advised so. I was cleared for a visual approach. My first officer, who was flying, was not familiar with sat airport, so I spent time briefing him regarding runway 21 which does not have an ILS. I set both navigation receivers to the ILS runway 3 to use the backcourse as a reference even though no backcourse approach exists. It is possible during this time and discussion that I missed the call to switch to tower. Fortunately there was no traffic conflict. Other possible factors include: the next to last leg of 5 long consecutive days flying and an XA30 pacific time early get-up in washington dc. Supplemental information from acn 344709: we contacted tower as we cleared the runway. Tower said we had caused no problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LANDS RWY 21 WITHOUT CLRNC FROM TWR. FO, PF, FLC FAMILIARITY WITH ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AND TAXIING CLR OF RWY 21 IN SAT, I DISCOVERED THAT I WAS STILL ON APCH CTL FREQ. I SWITCHED TO GND CTL AND WAS ADVISED TO TAXI TO MY GATE. ON LOOKING BACK AT THIS LNDG I DO NOT REMEMBER BEING ADVISED TO SWITCH TO TWR (NO EXCUSE). THE WX WAS 1500 FT BROKEN AND I WAS VECTORED TO A VISUAL APCH. APPROX 8 MI FROM THE ARPT, I WAS ABLE TO CLRLY SEE RWY 21 AND ADVISED SO. I WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. MY FO, WHO WAS FLYING, WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH SAT ARPT, SO I SPENT TIME BRIEFING HIM REGARDING RWY 21 WHICH DOES NOT HAVE AN ILS. I SET BOTH NAV RECEIVERS TO THE ILS RWY 3 TO USE THE BACKCOURSE AS A REF EVEN THOUGH NO BACKCOURSE APCH EXISTS. IT IS POSSIBLE DURING THIS TIME AND DISCUSSION THAT I MISSED THE CALL TO SWITCH TO TWR. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT. OTHER POSSIBLE FACTORS INCLUDE: THE NEXT TO LAST LEG OF 5 LONG CONSECUTIVE DAYS FLYING AND AN XA30 PACIFIC TIME EARLY GET-UP IN WASHINGTON DC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 344709: WE CONTACTED TWR AS WE CLRED THE RWY. TWR SAID WE HAD CAUSED NO PROBS.

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.

Air carrier lands runway 21 without clearance from tower. First officer, PF, flight crew familiarity with airport.