<< >> NASA ASRS Report 367405, April 1997

Large transport cargo aircraft landed tlc mexico without clearance. All attempts to contact the tower failed even though a radio check after parking worked fine. Flight crew thought they had heard 'landing approved' but ATC insisted clearance had not been issued.

Attributes
ACN	367405
Time
Date	199704
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tlc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	367405
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 105 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	367250
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On descent into toluca and after clearance for the ILS approach we were told to contact toluca tower on 118.0 we made 2 or 3 attempts before we heard a response at about 4 mi out that sounded like 'landing approved.' we landed, taxied off the runway and could no longer get anyone to respond on 118.0. Upon taxiing to park and shutting down, we were informed that we had landed without clearance. Factors: 1) language barrier (every transmission was difficult to interpret). 2) fatigue (it was almost xxam after being up all night). 3) complacency (we convinced ourselves we had heard 'cleared to land'). All checklists, including challenge 'landing clearance' and response 'cleared to land,' were executed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CARGO ACFT LANDED TLC MEXICO WITHOUT CLRNC. ALL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE TWR FAILED EVEN THOUGH A RADIO CHK AFTER PARKING WORKED FINE. FLC THOUGHT THEY HAD HEARD 'LNDG APPROVED' BUT ATC INSISTED CLRNC HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED.

Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO TOLUCA AND AFTER CLRNC FOR THE ILS APCH WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT TOLUCA TWR ON 118.0 WE MADE 2 OR 3 ATTEMPTS BEFORE WE HEARD A RESPONSE AT ABOUT 4 MI OUT THAT SOUNDED LIKE 'LNDG APPROVED.' WE LANDED, TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND COULD NO LONGER GET ANYONE TO RESPOND ON 118.0. UPON TAXIING TO PARK AND SHUTTING DOWN, WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE HAD LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC. FACTORS: 1) LANGUAGE BARRIER (EVERY XMISSION WAS DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET). 2) FATIGUE (IT WAS ALMOST XXAM AFTER BEING UP ALL NIGHT). 3) COMPLACENCY (WE CONVINCED OURSELVES WE HAD HEARD 'CLRED TO LAND'). ALL CHKLISTS, INCLUDING CHALLENGE 'LNDG CLRNC' AND RESPONSE 'CLRED TO LAND,' WERE EXECUTED.

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.