Narrative:

There was a scattered cloud layer at approximately 2000 ft. We were cleared for the approach, then cleared for a visual. We were high and cleared late for the approach. It was readily apparent to me that the outcome would not be a successful landing, but I allowed the first officer to continue until approximately 500 ft and then we executed a go around. We changed frequency to approach control, entered a left downwind at 2000 ft. They cleared us for another visual. The approach was close in and the first officer was late getting down again. Approach handed us off to tower. I looked down to see the tower frequency still in the box, but apparently didn't FLIP the switch. I advised them that we were on a visual for the left. They responded, but I didn't hear their response clearly. I asked the first officer if they had said 'cleared to land.' 'yes, they did.' I would normally have verified, but we were below 1000 ft and trying to get the first officer to respond to my calls to arrest the descent rate. As we were touching down, approach control said tower says you are cleared to land, contact ground off the runway. In retrospect, I should have asked for the full approach, for more time for the PF, instead of staying in fairly tight to remain clear of the scattered layer of clouds. And I should have verified the landing clearance even if the delay resulted in a second go around. I realize that when pilots are 'flying' they don't necessarily hear everything ATC says. Supplemental information from acn 359921: while with approach control going into smf, we ended up getting high on approach to runway 16L. I can't remember if approach control actually told us to switch over to tower. But upon landing, approach told us 'the tower says you are clear to land and contact ground and not to worry about not switching frequencys.' I feel contributing factors to this event include getting very busy with the go around and an early turn onto final (the second time around) and trying to get all the procedures and checklists accomplished. It was very rushed and busy and we just plain forgot to switch over.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LATE DSCNT CLRNC SETS A B757 FLC UP FOR CLRNC LNDG NOT RECEIVED. UNAUTH LNDG IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: THERE WAS A SCATTERED CLOUD LAYER AT APPROX 2000 FT. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH, THEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL. WE WERE HIGH AND CLRED LATE FOR THE APCH. IT WAS READILY APPARENT TO ME THAT THE OUTCOME WOULD NOT BE A SUCCESSFUL LNDG, BUT I ALLOWED THE FO TO CONTINUE UNTIL APPROX 500 FT AND THEN WE EXECUTED A GAR. WE CHANGED FREQ TO APCH CTL, ENTERED A L DOWNWIND AT 2000 FT. THEY CLRED US FOR ANOTHER VISUAL. THE APCH WAS CLOSE IN AND THE FO WAS LATE GETTING DOWN AGAIN. APCH HANDED US OFF TO TWR. I LOOKED DOWN TO SEE THE TWR FREQ STILL IN THE BOX, BUT APPARENTLY DIDN'T FLIP THE SWITCH. I ADVISED THEM THAT WE WERE ON A VISUAL FOR THE L. THEY RESPONDED, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR THEIR RESPONSE CLRLY. I ASKED THE FO IF THEY HAD SAID 'CLRED TO LAND.' 'YES, THEY DID.' I WOULD NORMALLY HAVE VERIFIED, BUT WE WERE BELOW 1000 FT AND TRYING TO GET THE FO TO RESPOND TO MY CALLS TO ARREST THE DSCNT RATE. AS WE WERE TOUCHING DOWN, APCH CTL SAID TWR SAYS YOU ARE CLRED TO LAND, CONTACT GND OFF THE RWY. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR THE FULL APCH, FOR MORE TIME FOR THE PF, INSTEAD OF STAYING IN FAIRLY TIGHT TO REMAIN CLR OF THE SCATTERED LAYER OF CLOUDS. AND I SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED THE LNDG CLRNC EVEN IF THE DELAY RESULTED IN A SECOND GAR. I REALIZE THAT WHEN PLTS ARE 'FLYING' THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HEAR EVERYTHING ATC SAYS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 359921: WHILE WITH APCH CTL GOING INTO SMF, WE ENDED UP GETTING HIGH ON APCH TO RWY 16L. I CAN'T REMEMBER IF APCH CTL ACTUALLY TOLD US TO SWITCH OVER TO TWR. BUT UPON LNDG, APCH TOLD US 'THE TWR SAYS YOU ARE CLR TO LAND AND CONTACT GND AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT NOT SWITCHING FREQS.' I FEEL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS EVENT INCLUDE GETTING VERY BUSY WITH THE GAR AND AN EARLY TURN ONTO FINAL (THE SECOND TIME AROUND) AND TRYING TO GET ALL THE PROCS AND CHKLISTS ACCOMPLISHED. IT WAS VERY RUSHED AND BUSY AND WE JUST PLAIN FORGOT TO SWITCH OVER.

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.