An air carrier B737-300 flight crew lands on runway 16L at slc without first contacting the tower.

Attributes
ACN	346070
Time
Date	199608
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : slc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
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 pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	346070
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 960
ASRS Report	345691
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Landing at slc in air carrier, slc approach control cleared us for visual approach to runway 16L and told us to contact tower. We were also told to keep traffic going into runway 16R in sight, which we did. Upon switching to tower frequency, the PNF (captain) inadvertently selected the tower frequency 119.17 in error (the frequency was 119.05). We then landed, both pilots having thought we had clearance to land. Upon rollout, we looked down at the radio and saw 119.17 set in the radio and realized we never contacted tower. We contacted ground control and were advised to taxi to the gate. Upon arrival, the captain called the tower and apologized for the mix-up and they told him it 'was not a problem.' probable causes: task saturation and distraction. Both pilots were looking for traffic, attempting to tune in the ILS/DME which was not working, and confirm we were lined up with the correct runway. Corrective action: both pilots be more vigilant for landing clearance, especially when approaching task saturation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B737-300 FLC LANDS ON RWY 16L AT SLC WITHOUT FIRST CONTACTING THE TWR.

Narrative: LNDG AT SLC IN ACR, SLC APCH CTL CLRED US FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 16L AND TOLD US TO CONTACT TWR. WE WERE ALSO TOLD TO KEEP TFC GOING INTO RWY 16R IN SIGHT, WHICH WE DID. UPON SWITCHING TO TWR FREQ, THE PNF (CAPT) INADVERTENTLY SELECTED THE TWR FREQ 119.17 IN ERROR (THE FREQ WAS 119.05). WE THEN LANDED, BOTH PLTS HAVING THOUGHT WE HAD CLRNC TO LAND. UPON ROLLOUT, WE LOOKED DOWN AT THE RADIO AND SAW 119.17 SET IN THE RADIO AND REALIZED WE NEVER CONTACTED TWR. WE CONTACTED GND CTL AND WERE ADVISED TO TAXI TO THE GATE. UPON ARR, THE CAPT CALLED THE TWR AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE MIX-UP AND THEY TOLD HIM IT 'WAS NOT A PROB.' PROBABLE CAUSES: TASK SATURATION AND DISTR. BOTH PLTS WERE LOOKING FOR TFC, ATTEMPTING TO TUNE IN THE ILS/DME WHICH WAS NOT WORKING, AND CONFIRM WE WERE LINED UP WITH THE CORRECT RWY. CORRECTIVE ACTION: BOTH PLTS BE MORE VIGILANT FOR LNDG CLRNC, ESPECIALLY WHEN APCHING TASK SATURATION.

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.